Mixing It Up

Found this great card challenge blog called Caardvarks and decided to join in the fun challenges that they have. The current one is to use patterned paper from three different manufacturers on the front of your card. I am also trying to use up my scraps so I went digging in my scrap pile and these are the two cards that I came up with.

Thankful
Paper: Crate Paper, Colorbok and Scenic Route; Metal Accents: Nunn Designs; Chipboard: K&Co; Other: craft store buttons.


All Things Grow
Paper: Paper Salon, Crate Paper and Basic Grey; Ink: ColorBox; Stamp: Club Scrap; Other: craft store ric rac.

This is a great way for me to put a dent in my growing pile of scraps.

My Visual DNA

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Scrap Fuel Altered Tin

I finally altered my Maya Road Coffee Tin that was part of the Scrapbook Takeout April kit using stuff from the May kit. I wanted to make something that was not only awesome to look at but that would also be useful. I plan to store my favorite scrapping snack – peanut M&Ms (and maybe some other chocolate) in my tin.
Supplies used:
Tin: Maya Road (April Kit), Rub-ons, Ribbon and Stickers: SEI (May Kit) Ribbon: American Crafts(March Kit)

Other Supplies: Paper: SEI, Ribbon unknown; Stickers: Creative Imaginations; Flowers: Prima; Ink: Color Box; Other: Pipe Cleaners

Note: I adopted Breanne’s (Scrapbook Takeout’s May guest designer) pipe cleaner flowers in a vase for the front of my tin

Spring

Spring is definitely in the air. Trees and flowers are blooming, the temperatures have gone up and yes the pollen is out in full force. Here’s a layout I did to welcome spring. It also showcases some of the stuff from two Scrapbook Takeout kits.

Supplies:

Chipboard: Heidi Swapp (from Scrapbook Takeout April Kit) and Stickers: American Crafts (from Scrapbook Takeout March Kit)Other supplies - Cardstock: Bazzill Basics; Paper: Heidi Grace; Overlay: Making Memories; Brads and Ribbon: unknown; Other: Machine stitching

Card Crazy

I have been on a card making kick this last week. Its been fun coming up with all these various cards and using up some of my scraps in the process. Here are a few of my favorites that I made.

UTEE Buttons and Monoprinting

Here is another inkling that I did for my Ranger Yahoo Group.

UTEE “Buttons” and Mono-Printing

Supplies
Ranger Mold n Pour
Ranger Ultra Thick Embossing Powder (UTEE)
Ranger Cut and Dry Foam
Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Inks
Ranger Adirondack Metallic Mixatives
Ranger Adirondack Blending Solution
Ranger Melting Pot and tools
Ranger Glossy Paper
Ranger Non-stick Craft Sheet
Clay or cookie cutters
Buttons
Awl
Sharpie/other Marker or Stamp and Ink

Method:
Using Mold n Pour
1. Using an equal amount of the white and blue/purple putty, knead them together in your hands for about 30 seconds to form a solid blue/purple color (you should have no white streaks).

2. Taking the buttons of your choice press them into the mixed putty. Leave it until the mold hardens, about 7-10 minutes. Once hardened you can use the mold over and over again to make buttons.

3. Melt clear UTEE in the Melting Pot at 340 degrees following melting pot instructions. Please be careful not to let your fingers touch the UTEE or the melting pan. Pour the melted UTEE into your button molds. Once cooled remove UTEE button from mold.

Using Clay or Cookie Cutters
1. Place clay or cookie cutters to stand upright on your non-stick craft sheet. Melt clear UTEE in the Melting Pot at 340 degrees following melting pot instructions. Please be careful not to let your fingers touch the UTEE or the melting pan. Pour a small layer of the melted UTEE into cutters. Once cooled remove the cutters.

2. Using your awl, heat the metal end using a heat gun and use it to make the button holes in your cooled UTEE shapes.

Love Card (Mono-print background)
1. For the background, apply Adirondack Alcohol Inks to the non stick craft sheet in drops or squiggles. Apply drops of the Metallic Mixatives randomly among your Ink drops and squiggles.
2. Place your glossy cardstock, gloss side down on top of the Ink and Mixatives and twist to cover the entire area of the glossy paper. Lift your paper off to see your background.

3. Apply some drops of Blending Solution to the Ink/Metallics mixture left on your craft sheet. Place a smaller piece of glossy cardstock and twist to cover the entire area of it.

4. Apply a few drops of Alcohol Ink and a drop of Metallic Mixatives to a piece of cut and dry foam. Dab onto your UTEE buttons to color them to match your background papers.

5. Using your sharpie or other marker hand draw a heart onto your smaller background paper. (Note you also use a stamp and ink for your image).

6. Assembly card adding other embellishments of your choice.

Alternative Ideas
1. Use different colors of UTEE
2. Use To Dye For additive to color your UTEE in the melting pot
3. Use patterned paper under your clear buttons
4. Try different objects in your molds to create uniquely shaped buttons

Sun Catchers

My May Inkling for my Ranger Yahoo Group. I found these magnets in the $1 bins at Michaels and the idea came to me to use them as molds to make sun catchers now that the sun has decided to come out here in MA.

Supplies
Ranger UTEE
Ranger UTEE Flex
Ranger Archival Reinker(s)
Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Inks
Ranger Melting Pot and Tools
Ranger Non-Stick Mat
Ranger Cut & Dry Foam
Decorative Magnet or other object to use as a mold
Hole Punch or Paper Drill
Ribbon
Oil or PAM

Melt four scoops of UTEE in the melting pot following the directions that came with the melting pot. Once completely melted add 1 scoop of UTEE Flex. Let Flex melt completely. Grease decorative magnet with a little oil or spray with PAM. Place on Non-stick mat and pour the melted UTEE over the magnet and let cool completely.


Carefully remove the magnet from the cooled UTEE and trim off any excess (you can reheat these pieces and use again).

To get the image to stand out more, color with Archival Reinkers or Alcohol Inks using cut and dry foam.

Punch a whole in the top of your Sun Catcher add decorative ribbon or fibers and hang in a window and enjoy.

I've Been Tagged!!!

It has finally caught up with me. This game of blog tagging. Thanks to my wonderful sister Francine I have been tagged. :-) So here goes.

7 Random Facts or Habits About Me
* All the hangers in my closet are white and they all face the same way
* I can't scrap if my area is too messy or disorganized
* I still have sheets of Club Scrap stamps to mount. I was a member in 2005 :-O
* I an semi-vegetarian. I have not eaten chicken or meat in almost 15 years - no reason other than I just don't like it.
* I finally found the perfect storage that works for me to store my foam stamps after trying various things for the last couple years.
* I worry that people think I am strange when I pull out my camera and take pictures of ramdom stuff (LOL)
* I am a huge procrastinator but I do my best work under pressure.

I am going to pass the fun onto:

Neith
Ann
Jen

Once upon a time...

I finally finished my first assignment for the class When I grow up that I taking from Shimelle. We were asked to write our own children's stroy about one of the things we wanted to be when we grew up. Here is my little book that I did for this assignment.

The story reads:

Once upon a time on an island paradise far far away (well not that far) there lived a little girl who dreamt of becoming an Air Hostess, as this is what Flight Attendants were know as during the era this little girl lived.

Although the little girl had flown from the time she was two years old it was not until she was around seven when she flew on Air Canada to visit her aunts and uncles in Toronto that her dream of becoming an Air Hostess was born. She just fell in love with how glamorous the life seemed. The little girl dreamt of jet setting from city to city, country to country, and continent to continent. How fun that would be she thought. She would lie awake at night imagining herself hurrying through the airport pulling her carryon luggage behind her in her smart Air Hostess uniform looking forward to her next world wide adventure.

Unfortunately as time went on the little girl found out that in times of crisis or problems the Air Hostess was the last to leave the plane and slowly the job did not seem as glamorous as she once thought it was. So she decided that she would just have to see the world as a passenger instead.

The End

I used Sassafraslass patterned paper, Bazzill Bling cardstock and Purple Onion stamps from my Self Addressed Kit; Sugarloaf, Inkadinkado, Rubber Stampede, and My Sentiments Exactly stamps; Ranger Archival and Colorbox Chalk inks; Royal & Langnickle rubons; Wal Mart ric rac; Junkitz stickers; Signo Uniball pens; Microsoft Clipart; postage stamps from skyblyepink.com; and unknown ribbon, shrink plastic flowers, eyelets, and stickers.

Baby Shower Stuff

I went to one of my very good friend’s baby shower today. Lots of fun!! Here is the gift bag that I decorated to hold her gift and the matching card. The bag was a plain white one that I got at Target. I used Making Memories patterned paper and textured tape, Provo Craft chipboard letters and stamped with some foam stamps that I had using Ranger Sea Shell ink and then embossed with clear Ranger Embossing Powder.

Card has Making Memories patterned paper and textured tape. I trimmed the edge of the front with deco scissors and punched holes with my Crop-a-dile (love this tool). Ribbon was then threaded through the holes. Those cute metal tiles I got at my LSS and they were attached with eyelets. Congratulations and Celebration were stamped in Ranger Sea Shell ink for a subtle look.

Everyone loved the bag and the matching card at the shower today so I was very happy

Altered Easter Eggs

I am one of the Inkling Moderators on the yahoo group RangerInkLink since last July. Here is the latest how-to that I did for the group. The idea came to me when I was in CVS and I saw the plastic eggs and the cermaic egg cups that they would be perfect to alter for my table for Easter.

Easter Eggs a la Ranger

Supplies
Ranger Adirondack Dabbers
Ranger Stickles
Ranger Glossy Accents
Ranger Perfect Medium
Ranger Perfect Pearls
Range Perfect Pearls Brushes
Plastic Eggs
Egg Cups/holders (optional)
Sand Paper or Acrylic Gesso
Foam brushes
Ric Rac
Rhinestones

Method:
Using sand paper, sand plastic eggs to create a rough surface for the paint to adhere to. Alternatively use a very thin layer of acrylic gesso to cover the surface of the plastic eggs.

Use Adirondack Dabbers to “paint” the eggs the color of your choice. Let dry completely. Using a foam brush apply a thin layer of Glossy Accents over the paint to give them a sheen. To add sparkle dab eggs with Perfect Medium and then dust on Perfect Pearls (Perfect Sparkle used for this project).

To decorate add ric rac around the middle (seam) of the eggs. Paint ric rac if needed with Acrylic Dabbers to match the color of the eggs. Use Stickles to hand draw patterns onto the eggs. Let dry completely. Enhance the design with rhinestones. Decorate egg holders with Stickles and ric rac. Put eggs into holders and display.

Happy Easter!!!

Unique Card Idea

My new how-to is up on the Diversity Designs website. Check out my studio class page to see how to create this unique card from a DVD case. Remember to give it to someone special and make their day. While you are there check out my previous how-tos as well.

Changing Direction

I have decided to change the direction of my blog. I am going to be posting more about the creative side of my life. I think this help me to keep it updated on a more regular basis. So hope you will stay tuned for the new and improved (and hopefully more regular posts) blog from me.

Crop Crop Crop!!

I went to a crop today at Right at Home Scrapbooking. It was what they call their Breakfast Club. You pay $5 and get muffins and juice and crop space from 10 am to 3 pm. It was fun. I had not been to a crop since 2005 – wow!! I think I like this one because it is shorter then the ones I used to go to. Those were 12 hour crops and I never used to get much done, I think I was just to overwhelmed. This one was 5 hrs but I was only there for about 3 1/2 hours (yes I was late) and I did get a layout finished. Next time I think I will get more done as I plan to be there on time and also not to spend as much time talking and socializing (LOL). They have them every two weeks but I won’t be back until the end of February. In addition to scrapping I also like the social aspect of it. It’s great to meet other scrappers and to exchange ideas.

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

Well my birthday is winding down but I had a great day, starting with my mum calling this morning and ending with the little 4 inch birthday cake that I got for dessert. Sheldon and I were supposed to go to dinner but the poor baby came home early from work sick. So we rescheduled for Sat instead. Went to the supermarket and got some lobster bisque instead and of course my little birthday cake.

Thanks to all my family and friends for all their birthday wishes today. It meant the world to me.

Happy New Year!

Just wanted to wish my family and friends a very blessed New Year. Here's to all great things in 2007. Remember to live for today and tomrrow will take care of its self.

Another Christmas Over

Well all the preparation and hoopla has come and gone for another year. We had a great Christmas here. We had some friends over for lunch and I cooked them some typical dishes you would find at a Caribbean Christmas lunch.

Menu
Salad
Potato Salad
Rice and Peas
Peas and Dumplings
Caribbean Macaroni Pie
Baked Whole Chicken with stuffing
Baked fish
Rolls

For dessert they brought us this delicious Amaretto cake from Montilio’s Bakery that had fresh strawberries on top, and that was to die for yummy. Wine was the drink choice to top off the day. I must say a great time was had by all.

Christmas Preparations

I finally have all my Christmas cards written up and addressed and the ones to be mailed will be in the mail box tomorrow. Most of my tins of cookies are out the door and I am almost finished with gifts. I just have two more things to make and then I will be done.

I also made some Punch-a-crème on Saturday and I have some sorrel that I had saved from some Sheryl –Ann sent me in Jan soaking to be strained and sweetened. So I think things are looking very Christmassy here for us. Oh I also put Christmassy center pieces on my dining room and coffee table.

So I think I am ready for Santa to come. Yes I sill believe in him LOL!!!

Cookie Monster

I spent the day yesterday making my Christmas cookies. Only did 19 dozen this year and I was hoping that would be enough. But after putting them in tins this morning I realized that I am about 3 tins short. So I will be making one more batch tomorrow

Oh and now that my mum has received her birthday gift I can post it here. I also did another one of these as a how –to article for Diversity Designs. I think it makes a great gift.

Oh Christmas Tree

My tree is finally all decorated. I started last night but after stringing 600 lights I was all decorated out LOL. So I took a break and finished it up this morning. I also altered our stockings from last year to match the blue in my tree. Here are some pictures of the tree and the 2 styles of ornaments that I made from clear glass ornamets, my favorite store bought raindeer ornament, my candy shop house and kitty figurines under the tree and the stockings that I altered.