Happy Birthday Mom...

I loved how happy this card looked when I was making it for my Mom's 80th birthday (which is today, btw) that I decided to make a number of them as back up birthday cards for my own stash.  I made them over the weekend and got her's in the mail on Monday.  Of course, I couldn't do this Blog post until after she had received hers... just in case she ever looks in on my work.  I have a few displayed in my studio and everytime I look up at them, they make me smile.

 

I was watching an episode of Dr. Oz this past week and they did a segment on the color yellow and why it makes us smile.  I thought it was fortuitous that I had made these yellow cards and the color Dr. Oz chose to highlight, was yellow.  Btw, the reason yellow makes us happy is because we relate it to the sun and light, when we are less fearful...

Coloring in Columbus...

After finding himself unceremoniously let go from his job in New York City last October, my husband took a temporary contracting assignment in Columbus, OH.  We got a lovely small apartment overlooking the city and I travel out there every twelve days or so, for four or five days at a time.  The rest of the time I spend in New Jersey.  I was lugging all kinds of product out there when I wanted to make cards or do my Project Life.  The problem was, I'd always forget something... always!

 

Then it dawned on me!  Just take out Copics and images!  It's alot less to transport and it gives me an opportunity I usually don't take to practice my coloring.  Today has been a very productive day.  Once I get back to Jersey, I'll figure out how to incorporate these into cards...



Clean and Simple...

So, what do you think of this? You'll laugh when I tell you what the patterned paper is. Are you ready? Scrappy Backgrounds!! Yes, I am obsessed!! But before you go thinking I did each of those pieces seperately, let me assure you... I did not! Everytime I make a Scrappy Background, I make it on an A2 size piece of copy paper. Since I rarely ever use that entire size on a finished card, I cut down as needed. These are those pieces that were cut down. I thought they were way too lovely to toss. I thought one day I'd figure out what to do with them and here you have it.  Pretty darn simple...



My five for January...

I think my camera is about ready to check-out.  These pictures are so out of focus to me.  I need a new camera, right?!!  I'll just tell my husband you all said so... :)

 

I was CASEing the lower card from one I saw on Pinterest (see here).  The card on Pinterest had been sewn on top but when I went to do that, the bobbin got stuck.  Now the machine needs to see a doctor.  Boo hoo!! I tried faux stitching with a white pen (middle one) but my white pens don't work.  Whad up?!!  They're new!!  I also didn't have enough to make five so I rummaged thru my Christmas box and found enough leftovers from last years package cards to fulfill the challenge... woo hoo!  

Well, at least something went right... 



Sleepover and Any Hero notes...

 Last weekend we had all five neighbor kids over for a sleepover to give the parents a night out to celebrate a birthday.  Three girls and two boys.  Add them to Ernie's two and can you say "chaos!". 

Actually, I think it went rather smoothly...

 

Besides making cookies and watching movies, we made Any Hero cards in my studio.  With the exception of two, everyone made it in there at one point or another during the overnight.  Haley, the oldest of the five (age 12), almost never left (future cardmaker maybe? Hmmm...).  The rule was, for every card you make, you must write a note to a hero thanking them for their service. 
It was a very successful rule!

 

They used Scrappy Backgrounds and partial fronts that I hadn't turned into anything yet (upper right hand corner).  I showed them HOW to make Scrappy Backgrounds (front four).  And we tried our hand at using Dylusions Ink Spray (the middle bunch)...

 

  

The final result is that I have 18 Any Hero notes to include in my next shipment to

Operation Write Home... YAY!!

 



One messy desk...

 

The challenge from the OWH facebook page is to make something from what is already on your desk.  Honestly, I don't know what happened in here.  This is not how I left it!  Look, there's even stuff on my Genesis... and stuff on my chair.  Talk about ridiculous... 



 

But I did find some neat things to work with.  All scraps, including the ribbon.  The circle behind the banner is actually a leftover from a mistake.  I die-cut a circle on another project and it was too big so I die-cut another out of the same piece.  The leftover ring looked pretty cool so I set it aside.  I CASEd this card from one I saw on Pinterest (view here) and threw in my extra ring. 

I liked it... do you?



OWH Sketch #206

 

Wow!  I'm actually doing a Sketch the same week it came out... woo hoo!!  I loved all the samples I was seeing on this sketch over on the OWH website (link here) and I just had to jump right in.  Except for the yellow paper (Hobby Lobby) and the red paper (Hollo's), all are scraps.  Including the ribbon and bling...

 



My Top 13 of 2013...

 

 

I bet I couldn't come up with thirteen cards if my life depended on it.  It was one HECTIC year for me what with the renovation at Ernie's, planning a wedding in Marblehead, getting married, have son graduate high school, move to New Jersey, consolidating two households, driving son down to college at Embry-Riddle, have other son (and girlfriend) come live with us temporarily, driving them back to Tampa, FL in ONE night when it wasn't working out, finishing the front porch, hosting the twins first birthday, Ernie losing his job, Ernie getting another job... in OHIO!, having guests in and out, driving to Ohio, flying back from Ohio (every other weekend) and THEN the holidays and all they entail.  Phew... that was exhausting just writing it down! 

 

So, I think I'll do this a little differently. 

Here are my Top 13 crafty adventures of 2013, chronologically..

1. Making Scrappy backgrounds in January at Ernie's, despite the helacious mess of the renovation...

 

2. Making this delight from the scrap pile that Ronni sent me.  It's a one-of-a-kind.  Hmmm, I wonder where this card landed... 

Original blog post here

 

3.  Making cards for THREE days during the Blizzard in February... woo hoo!!

Original post here

 

 

4. Being a guest Sketch artist for Sketch #162 for OWH in March

Original post here

 

 

5.  Also in March, teaching some high school students at Marblehead High (Zack included) about Operation Write Home.  These were their Any Hero creations...

Original blog post here

 

6. Going to my first ever three day crop at Cozy Crop in Lancaster, PA in April.  Absolutely a phenonemal weekend!  Met many new people including the three OWHers pictured here.  From left to right - Wilda, Susan, me and Sherry...

 

 

7.  Deciding to make the toasting flutes for my wedding with GASP! glitter.  Made 38...

 

 

8.  Ok, I know it's not "crafty" but it WAS an adventure!  How could I not put it in.  On June 8, 2013, I married the most perfect man for me... :)

 

9.  Desperately trying to move into my new Studio.  It's July now...

 

 

10. Organizing my stamps...

Original blog post here 

 

 

 11. Taking a Book Binding class taught by Melissa Frances at Scrapbook Expo in September

Original blog post here

12.  Doing a whirlwind trip thru three states taking classes, one to include a Project Life class at Absolutely Everything in Topsfield, MA in October
Original  blog post here

 

 13.  And finally, making our Christmas cards for our first year as a married couple.  This was a lot of folding and I had sore fingers when they were done but what fun to start this new tradition with my husband... :)

Original blog post here

 

 So, on to 2014... may it be less stressful but full of as many crafty adventures!