Presentation is everything

 Many, many years ago I had a friend who taught me "Presentation is everything", it was her theory that you could give someone a rock and they would be thrilled if it was presented properly, lol.  I try to keep the idea alive but sometimes get in a hurry and lapse into just the essentials.  I have been making some boxes lately to have on hand when I get in a rush.  They can hold card sets or a hankie, so many things.  I have used my score it board and 110lb coated copy paper by Mohawk.  I embellished with ribbon, a hammered heart done with red florist wire.  A 2" circle airbrushed with Copic "Currant" and 2 nestibilities hearts, one I tied all up with tiny ribbon using my micron pen,  scanned it into my scanner and then print them out, then recut with another nestibilies die.  I mounted it to the circle and curled it with a skewer and then applied a coat of gloss medium.  The font is Sizzix "Wingo Dingo".  A perfect little box to present to a dear friend.

side view of box.  Have a great weekend. Hugs

Little Things

Happy Friday, what a gorgeous week we have had in N CA, nice breezes, moderate temps, I could live with this always, lol.  The other night I was prepping potats for dinner, they come in this mesh bag and as I was cutting away, my attention was pulled away by the empty mesh bag on the counter top, I loved the way the light came through the bottom, creating ripples in the mesh, so I put down the knife, picked up the bag and took it to my scanner, lol, (and I wonder why I never get dinner done on time).  I put a piece of yellow card stock over the top when I scanned it in and printed it out, it is my background paper.  The tea cups are one of my line drawings and the circle behind it is 2", the smaller 1 1/4" circle with sentiment is from "Barbara Williams" at http://www.cuddlybuddly.com/.  I recently picked up the CHA 2012 release Copic colors and are really loving them, the cups were colored with G43 "Pistachio", R56 "Currant", YR27 "Tuscan Orange" and BG90 "Gray Sky".  The entire set is just luscious.  Photo corners are by EKSucces.  Hope everyone travels smoothly into the weekend.  Hugs

Centurian

This is a 6X6" card, it was done for a man turning 100 in July, he loves the slots.  The paper is DCW "Timeless Type", the paper has a wonderful gloss.  The antique slot machine was found on line.  I used two fonts "Wingo" by Sizzix and the 100 is from "Spellbinder's".  Inside it says, "Happy, Happy Birthday, May the luck of the pull be with you always."  Hope everyone is having a great week. hugs

A Patriotic BBTB2 Challenge

Welcome, we are all red, white and blue today, marching to the beat of patriotism.  Our challenge offered up today by the very talented Susan Edwards, if you have not seen it yet, check out her gorgeous table project.  Be sure to check out BBTB2 Challenge Blog for all the inspiration and then join in on the fun!

My project this week is a 6"X6" card, the stripe paper by BasicGrey.  I found the "Declaration" on line and it is tucked behind my patterned papers.  I especially had fun with the torn and aged piece I mounted my "Freedom" from "Graphically Speaking" cart on.  I tore some white packing paper and put it in my scanner with a piece of black on top, scanned it in and then printed it out.  I then went to work on it with my copic markers, begging out the creases and folds.  One thing I really want to share is a new Copic color  released at CHA 2012, "Gray Sky" BG90, for those of you that love to do shading this is a MUST HAVE color.  I cut Freedom from velum and then airbrushed with copics, I used a straight rule, leaving just a smidge uncolored and then went over the area with white.  The metal ribbon circle is hand hammered florist wire, with misc ribbon attached, I am loving the hammered wire, what a way to relieve stress, lol.

Thanks for visiting my blog, but most of all for supporting our fun fun Cricut Challenges, I look forward to seeing how you work your patriotism into your projects over the next couple of weeks.  hugs

Birthday Baton

 Happy Friday, one and all.  This is a Birthday Baton I share with you today, it has no other function than to make the recipient smile.  She is a zebra lover.  I have used one of my favorite pieces to repurpose, a paint stirrer, I covered it with Zebra Paper by GCD Studios, distressed with sand paper, drilled a hole in the bottom and then wrapped it with florist wire that I first hand hammered out.  The medallion is a "Spellbinder's" oval mounted to chipboard with an eyelet set to attach with more of the florist wire to the wrap.  The zebra is from Lilyboo, the flora and fauna - butterfly Martha Stewart, the leaves "Memory box" dies and flower unidenitified.  All coloring done with Copic markers.

 Here it is sitting in a glass.

This is a close up of the hand hammered wire wrap.  Hope everyone has a fab weekend.  Hugs

A Boxed Set

 Wow it is almost afternoon here, this is a boxed set for a friend that recently retired to repurpose herself in the lap of luxury, lol.  She received flowers, gifts etc.  She loves butterflies and blue is her favorite color.  The box holds 6 cards and envelopes with tissue paper.  I actually did the butterfly specifically for this project, the "thanks" is a memory box die and was embossed with Cricut "Swiss Dot" folder.  The note cards are deeply embossed and I found them at my paper distrubtor on a close out deal.  Love, love closeout deals.  The box was created using a score it board and 110lb. cardstock. The photo corners on the box are eksuccess and were cut from "Paper Studio" polka dots.

close up.  As we sneak up on yet another weekend, be safe, have fun and enjoy!  Hugs

BBTB2 Challenge - A Pearl Birthday

It is a BBTB2 Challenge Day, welcome.  Our challenge was offered up today by the talented Stephanie, she requested we use a pearl and birthday greeting in honor of her birthday this month.  This was a fun challenge for me, and I would like to share just a tiny bit about my Cricut.  Six years ago when I first saw the Cricut, it was a new kid on the block, at that time we were all working mainly with Sizzix and/or Quickutz both manual systems.  The industry was popping and alive with new ideas, concepts and tools.  I had a vision and a dream that I could really create my own embellishments, in whatever size and/or color I wanted. I was elated with the possibilities.  So fast forward, three Cricut machines later and sometimes almost embarassed to share how many carts, I feel like I am JUST realizing my dream, what a journy.  I am sharing this because if you have a dream or vision, no matter what, do not give up.  The process takes time, it takes practice, it takes commitment, but I promise if you stick to it, nuture it, it will grow. Don't let your dreams go.
For my card I used "Dreams Come True", for the shell, how appropriate is that, Lol, I also used TBBM for the tag.  I trimmed off the top of the shell to get the proper perspective and then went to work with my shell, I think I used 30 copic colors on this, the small spatters you see in the top portion of the shell, lower right was done with the airbrush and Tim Holtz Distress markers and it was the hardest part of the entire process, it takes some practice to get the spatter controlled and I was so nervous I would ruin the whole piece.  When all my colors were done, I then scanned it in and then printed it out and that is the piece I used for the card, this means that if I want a shell for a 5"X7" or 5 1/2" X 4 1/4" card I will have an embellishment sized for that card at my finger tips.  The background was created using Dylusion dyes and other Ranger products. The rectangle was embossed with a Cuttlebug folder. Misc ribbon and a stick pin with pearls.

This process of scanning and saving your finished image means that you are able to carry your theme to the inside of the card, quickly and with ease.  Thanks for visiting my blog and remember to hold that dream. I so look forward to seeing what you will do with our challenge this week. Hugs

Pause

Happy Friday, is your bbq ready for July 4th?  Cause it is next on the calendar, lol.  I have been doing a lot of my own embellishments lately, it gives me an added challenge and moves me closer to my dreams.  The butterfly is one of my line drawings, I colored with copics, then scanned in and printed it out, I used 2 on this card, one a tiny bit bigger (the one underneath) to give it dimension and then popped it a little.  The frame is from "Storybook" Cricut cart, I used small gold brads in the holes. The sentiment tile is a "Stampinup" punch. The background papers are also mine.  The flower was cut from fabric with the "Spellbinders" Blossom 1 die and then instead of rolled I gathered it with thread as in a yoyo flower, added a button and beads.  The leaf was handcut and colored with copics.  Inside the card says, "...for the moment, because, oh how they do flutter-by."

Scanning in your images also gives you the option of getting a nice finished inside to the card, most printers will allow you to flip or mirror your image for printing, usually listed under printing preferences under the advanced options.

Have a great weekend, keep cool and most of all enjoy, cause these moments are fleeting. Hugs

An Encrypted Birthday

Hi Everyone, oh it is hot hot here and heading toward triple digis for the rest of the week, uuuuughhhh, thank goodness for AC.  A dear male friend of mine is turning 65 later this month, he is a retired math teacher, so in honor of his birthday I wanted to make a card that would keep him on his toes (gotta do that with seniors, yah know, lol) but I did give him a big hint with the wireless pic.  I used the International Morse Code, for the happy birthday under the pic. The pic was found on the internet.  Cogs are "Tim Holtz" die.  Hope everyone is staying cool and happy, hugs or as they say in Morse Code.
 .--. ..- --. ...

A Rose is a Rose - BBTB2 Challenge

I don't usually scan in my cards, I just feel it makes them look flat, but the more I looked at the post on my desktop the more I hated this card, so decided to try the scan and have to admit the colors are truer, so why didn't I do it in the first place? LOL.  Hugs

The rose is our object of affection today and we challenge you to come over and post yours to BBTB2.  The very talented Glenda is our host(ess) today, she is responsible for this fun fun challenge, please visit all of our talented designers to see what is up with their Cricuts.
I apologize up front for the photo, I have photographed this card in every imaginable light and just cannot get true color, this is the best I could do.  The rose was cut from "Sweethearts" cart, coloring was done with Copic markers and Prismacolor pencils with mineral spirits, first laying down color with copics then doing some lining with the pencils and mineral spirits, you always want to do your copics first.  Just when you think there could not possibly be another use for the Martha Stewart "branch" punch another one pops up, lol.  I wanted babys breath for the single rose, so I punched the branch out multiple times in 2 different greens and then sprayed and did some of the polka dots by hand, I hand cut a stem and then layered them onto the stems and tied all together with a piece of ribbon.  The background paper is really OLD, by DaisyD's and it came in 5 1/2"X5 1/2"  packs that I have saved, because they are one of my all time favs, the card is 5 1/2 X 4.25" so I had a delema because I did not want to cut it, so I created a gusset on the short end, adhered the green ribbon which holds the sentiment block to the back and fliped over and then adhered the background paper to my cardstock, now there is a little pleat that will hold the sentiment card in place when it is in the envelope.  The sentiment block is by Barbara Anne Williams over at "Cuddley Buddley".  The little lady bug was done with 3 circles. 

This is the card laying flat so you can see the pleat and the sentiment card tucked inside.

Hope you were able to retrieve a little inspiration to take you into this beautiful summer week.  Hugs

It's a wrap!

Here we are, another weekend, whew!  Yesterday as I was cleaning and putting stuff away I came back to my computer, scanner to get something and there is a pile by my scanner of things I want to scan in and I reached down and could not help myself, started playing.  And this is the result, there is a bit of tongue in cheek here because the background paper is what I was playing with and it came from a scanned in piece of bubble wrap.  If I had know it was going to scan in this cool I definitely it would have done it sooner.  But then I had a situation because what do you do with a piece of bubble wrap background paper and then I remembered I had an Ellison Die -Film strip and decided to play a little more, I cut it out in black and then I used a piece of packaging material and cut it again,  I used only the squares from the packaging material and sprayed them with Copic "E39" to make it look like negative film.  The corners are EKSuccess, the edges have been distressed with Ranger "Pumice Stone" and that's a wrap!  Hugs

Breath

Breath

It is Friday in my world and after I post this it is on to my table and kitchen, my table is total chaos and the kitchen looks like a laboratory for a mad scientist, lol.  I have been playing with colors again, this is my newest background and it makes me giggle, which is a good thing considering I have to step away and do chores.  The colors are Ranger "Dylusions" Fresh Lime and Vibrant Turquois with soapy water on coated paper.  The embossing is from the Sizzix "Carte Postal" set.  The wee fish is an ancient stamp from "Mostly Animals", small gus.  Tag is from an Ellison tag set and wee gus was colored with copics.  So I am off to clean up after the one I am possessed by, lol, hope you have a grand weekend. Oh, inside the card it says, "Well, unless you have gills and live under water." Hugs

fun with backgrounds

For me, making backgrounds is almost as good as doodling, it is free, fun and sometimes you get wonderful surprises and because you get so involved with the process it relieves stress and erases the world around me.  This background was done using Dylusion Dies, first I used the splatter method with "Bubble Gum Pink and "Pure Sunshine" added a little water spritz and just rubbed my cardstock blank into it.  I then used the Crafter's Workshop Stencil "Trees" and using my Dylusion Dies and the Copic Airbrush System sprayed with the same colors, I then went around the edges just a bit with melted chocolate to ground it a little.  Scanned it in and printed it out onto Beckett Expression Radiance 80lb cardstock.

This card is a standard A-2 card 5.5"X4.25", the background block was cut to 5.25"X4", I then colored the "Memory Box" - thanks with copic markers and added, this will act as an example for a small card kit I am sending to a friend, she loves making cards but is in a very time consuming, stressful profession, I am sending the backgrounds and "thanks" all she has to do is put it together and it will give her the feeling she made a card without all the work, lol.  And if you did not know those were tree branches you could almost think that the card was electricly charged.  Happy Wednesday, may all your wandering today be filled with joyful surprises, hugs

This card was done using the background scraps, the Sizzix "Carte Postale" embossing folder and memory box "thanks" die.

Star Kiting

Star Kiting

Star Kiting?  I recorded "Through The Wormhole" episodes on Sunday and although I get the concepts, I have to admit the math just leaves me in the dust.  But that does not stop my imagination from wondering about flying kites in the solar winds among the stars.  This is a bookmark and all of the coloring was done with the new Tim Holtz - Ranger Distress Markers and Distress Inks.  One of the things that really interested me when I was researching them was the fact they were not an exact match but coordinating colors.  I loved that idea and really wanted to test it out.  I used "Wild Honey" and  "Bundled Sage" distress inks and distress markers, the markers are the darker areas in the borders.  Some doodles, the star punch "EKSuccess", baker's twine, and the star was in my stash cannot remember who, what or where.  Misc. ribbon.  Hope you kicked off a fantastic week yesterday, Happy Tuesday, Hugs

BBTB2 Challenge - Water

There is no place like home!

Happy Monday and Welcome to the BBTB2 Challenge.  I am hosting this Monday and I chose "Water" as our theme, in honor of that we will have rain all day today in No. CA which I had no hand what so ever in, lol.  I hope you enjoy my little under water scene created using Cricut cart "Life is a Beach"  The background paper was created using Ranger Distress Inks and Stains, the coral was done with a combination of Ranger Inks and Stains and Copic Airbrush.  The sentiment block is from a "Stampin Up" punch.  I hope you have a marvelous week and please join us in the fun, I look forward to seeing what you come up with for our "Water" challenge, hugs

Where is your star?

Happy Sunday, Oh what a glorious day it is here, the colors are vibrant, a slight breeze in the air and the birdies are very happy.  I am sharing one of my bookmarks today.  When I am first introduced to a new product, I reply with a resounding, NO!  Not necessarily because I don't like the product, but, because I do not need the product.  If that product becomes louder, I will do the research and weigh it out, thus it was when my friend Christy pointed out that the "Tim Holtz" Distress Markers were maybe a must have.  The more I heard and then saw on UTube, I became curious and then decided okay, this would be a benefit.  I ordered them, this week I got them, there was a slight 3month wait, LOL.  One of the primary reasons I decided on them was that early this year I discovered that all markers with a brush could be used with Copic Airbrush System, using another marker usually generates a daupled spray, but there are times that that can be a tremendous benefit, so I wanted the Ranger Distress Markers to use with airbrush in conjunction with my Ranger Distress Inks and Stains.  I have had 3mos. to think about this and one thing that kept jumping out at me, was oh my goodness what will "Picket Fence" do?  It was the first maker out of the pack and into my airbrush it went.  Do I LOVE IT, oh yes I do, there are a million things that can be done with this one marker and I can truthfully say that my studio will never be without one or two of the "Picket Fence".  The other colors are rich and equally as tantilizing.  So this my review on the Tim Holtz Distress Markers.  Have a great Sunday, Hug

I've lost my glasses, again!

 There are days when 1/2 my life revolves around looking for my glasses especially if I am working on more than one project at a time.  For years I wore the glass holders that fit over the arms but then I realized I was getting headaches from them and they were always in my peripheral vision, so I quit wearing them and have to admit my headaches have eased up except for the ones caused by constantly losing my glasses, lol.  I had to run into Office Depot the first of the week for printer paper and there was a package of lanyards -12 for $8.00 the type with the clip on the end for badges etc. and I wondered if I could not do something to hold my glasses.  So here is what I did and so far it is working great.  I took off the clip, then I sniped the top and burnt the ends so they would not unravel, then I took a large beade and threaded one end and then the other end in the opposite direction, it is an ancient old closure technique.  Then  I added to more large beads, one to each end and knotted the ends.  The lanyard is 36", so with this closure I can adjust the length and the piece looks nice with or without glasses attached.

I then punched 2 - 2" circles, doodled on one and embossed the other and sealed with a polymer medium.

 The above is the doodled circle

The above is the embossed circle

view of the piece without the glasses.  Happy Friday to everyone, hugs