Sketching Inspiration

Sometimes when I want to make a card I am just overwhelmed with my options. I can look at my cardstock, my paper and still not be able to make a decision on what to do or where to go. I use google images a lot for help when I need an idea. I just type in what type of card I need and lo and behold there are a lot of ideas to choose from. Then of course there is Pinterest but sometimes you just want your own vision to flow. That is where I how found sketches to be a great resource.  

When I first learned about sketches, I made every card exactly like the sketch. If the sketch had three circles down the side and a verse then my card looked exactly the same. Then I realized a sketch is really just a loosely laid plan for the card then you just let the creative ideas go from there.

Here is a sample of a sketch I found at Pamela's World of Scrap and the card that it inspired. 

It was a fairly straight forward card but I did not add a sentiment because it is being used as a note card. 

Trial and Error

Since I got a Big Shot recently, I was excited to finally get to use it. Remember the Spellbinders I had purchased weeks before that I had sitting in the drawer because they did not work in my embossing machine? They finally got put to use when I pulled them out to try my hand at a new technique.

I had participated in a swap, so I had a bunch of Magnolia images just begging to be colored, cut and made into a card. Only I was not sure how to make that happen. I sat down and read through the materials that came with my Big Shot, then I read the instructions on the Big Shot plates. They are not really very helpful, so off I went to YouTube.com. That was a bit more insightful and definitely more helpful because I am a visual learner. I want to know how did I survive before YouTube? 

So, I decided I was going to start cutting the beautiful Magnolia that my husband had spend days coloring. He happened by and asked what I was doing, so I told him. He was all in a panic asking if I had measured things and did I know for sure that the image was going to fit correctly in the Spellbinders, etc. I asked him if he had lost his mind. Who measures to make sure things are perfectly centered in the Spellbinders??? He said, "I do." I laughed at him for about 5 minutes and realized it was really a good idea so I measured, I had the correct one but he felt better. So, we made the cut first on a "practice piece of paper" then on the real thing. Then I went to work on the card an hour later. 

I think Maggie's need more bling but we spent so much time trying to make sure we did not chop her in half or cut off her feet I was out of time! I distressed the flower and added a bow. Then sent her off to the youth minster's wife for a young lady to enjoy.  The time with my hubby was priceless. 

Tearing Paper Instead of Tearing My Hair Out

Last week was a crazy week! A couple of my posts reflected that fact, I am still dealing with one of our situations which I do not think is going to work itself out very quickly. But in due time, I am sure we will have a resolution everyone will be happy with. Because of situations like this I am ever grateful that I have taken up a hobby!  I have something to do to take my mind off of schools and books and just life in general because really how can you stay angry when you are creating something beautiful?

I went to my standby Pinterest and started looking for inspiration. I found a tutorial using paper scraps to make flowers. I thought, oh my goodness, my cup runneth over with paper scraps! I am going to try this. Here are the results of my efforts. This was so easy my husband made the pink one because I challenged him to it. 

Here is a link to the blog for the tutorial: Such a Pretty Mess

A couple of things:

~One torn she curled both sides up. I curled one up and one down.

~She added cording to the center. I tried that but I did not like the look, so I added stickles and/or a button. 

French Fry Box Goodie Bag

My youngest daughter is having a birthday party tomorrow. So, I was browsing Pinterest for ideas of things to do. I thought instead of just pinning things on my wall, I should actually make some of those things. I came across this really cute "goodie bag" idea on Embrace Life. It did not look too hard, so I thought I would give it a try, 20 minutes later I had 10 goodie bags ready to go. It only took 20 minutes because I spent a lot of time choosing the paper and making sure the first one lined up correctly. The others were easy-peasy!

Final Filled goodie bag: hair bow and a few yummy treats.

Start with an 8x8 double sided paper. I used card stock.

Fold into triangle.

Fold right corner up (don't angle).

 I actually folded both sides in to make sure they were even.

Fold left side over. 

Fold one piece of the first part down to create a pocket.

This will hold all the pieces in place, no glue is needed.

Open and fill.

Legalism...or Protecting My Daughter?

I got a rude awakening yesterday. My 10 year old got in the car after school, then started talking away about her day as she always does. I turned the radio lower so I could hear what she was babbling on about and tuned in a bit.  I don't always 100% catch what she is saying, some of it is about friends, lunch, her classes. Some of it is just general knowledge stuff that she wants to talk about. I try to tell her to go back if I miss something, I feel is a "need to know" item, other things I let go.  Then she started talking about her English class, I know this is really important to her because she loves her classes and school. She went on to say that she was excited that they had a "seminar" day. Seminars are a round table discussion type of class, they discuss specific topics led by the teacher. She was very excited to tell me all about it. But as she talked my mom radar went up.

She started telling me the questions the teacher led off the seminar with such as, "What makes a word bad?", "Does the swearing in the book affect how you read the book?" and "Raise your hand if you haven't heard these words?" I said wait, what are you talking about?  Then she said mom the book we are reading has a bunch of swearing in it. I was shocked to say the least. I had no idea. She attends a Christian school. As a matter of fact she is my only child who has never attended a public school. With the other kids I have been diligent to check the book lists, I have read their books before they did to ensure there was nothing questionable in them. But I let myself get complacent with this my youngest child because she is in a Christian school. Shame on me.

Traci

On a Soapbox

Once again today, I am on a soapbox about a slightly annoying subject to me. Don't say I did not give you fair warning here. The title of the post and the photo gave you a hint of where I was going!  I am not going to go on and on, I promise! I just need a minute but before I do, I want to give you the link to the wonderful blog where I got this beautiful photo, well I got it from Pinterest but I did follow it to the real blog. Lindsay Beck is the photographer, her blog is amazing. You should check it out. But onto my actual soapbox moment.

Once again, I am going to take a moment to rant about people who join swaps and do not follow through. I do not understand why people do this. If there is a problem in your life that makes it impossible to not complete a commitment then let someone know what is going on so you can be replaced or removed. But to just disappear and not let anyone know what is going on just is irresponsible.  We are adults, we all understand that there are reasons for backing out of a swap.  But what I don't understand is just vanishing without a trace.

That's all. Please feel free to let me know your thought's on this subject in the comments.

Traci

Using Everyday Things

I am learning everyday as I craft that not only do you consume the  scraps you create hence the name "scrapbooking" you look for ways to use things around you in your home your world. I was browsing the web looking for inspiration when I stumbled across a tutorial that suggested using paint sample cards on layouts and card design.  I thought wow what a great idea, I had none laying around the house. My husband doesn't use them he uses a color wheel for work and has several of those sitting in a drawer but he would not really like it if I started  using it to punch shapes etc. 

So, I waited until we went to the local big box home store to find some paint samples. My husband was horrified as I started pulling paint cards. He quickly asked, "What are you taking those for?" Then breathed a sigh of relief when I explained they we for a card I wanted to create. 

We got home and he went off to work on his home project and I to my crafts. I made this card using a small heart punch, argyle paper, Recollections pearl beads, I am not sure if you can see it but there is glimmer mist at the top where it is stamped "Be Mine". 

Traci

First We Had Facebook...

Now, we have Pinterest. For a while now we have heard all about how much time people waste on Facebook. Lately, I had started hearing about Pinterest from people. Did I go on Pinterest? Had I heard of it?  My reply was always: no. Then I was asked if I wanted an invite. Wait, you have to be invited to join this website? What is this all about? I had to find out! Of course, I want an invite. I cannot be left out of the fun! 

I got the invite and quickly went over and spent HOURS trying to figure out how to find my way around. After a few weeks, I can tell you I am still lost in the wonderful world of Pinterest. It doesn't matter though, I still spend a lot of time there pinning things to my boards and finding creative things that I am going to do "one day", foods I am going to cook for my family "one day", places I am going to travel "one day". The list goes on and on.  

I did find inspiration for this lovely card there last week. So, I must say I have not been in a complete wasteland on Pinterest and I have been inspired to get off the computer and work in my craftroom at least a little.  Thank you to stampinfunwithselene for the inspiration! If you "pin", remember to the pins are inspirations for your life not just time fillers. 

Traci


PS. Don't forget to comment on my 2/16 post for a chance to win this month's give away.

Embossing and Cutting Adventures

A few weeks ago, I purchased a bunch of Nestabilities from another crafter for an awesome price. She was trying to downsize some of her stash in her scraproom. I was so excited about my new tools. When they arrived I quickly opened the package, started reading about how to use them and got supplies ready to go. I put them inot my Texture Boutique and nothing.

I quickly and sadly learned that my cute little machine is not a cutter: it is just an embosser. It has many wonderful qualities. It's small, doesn't take up a lot of space in my limited area for crafting. It embosses nicely and looks very pretty sitting out. But it doesn't cut. So, my Nestabilities sat sadly in the drawer. Until my sister in-law sent me a text message two weeks ago that the Big Shot was on sale for great deal. 

I quickly got online and placed an order. Later that night, I told my husband that I ordered my Valentine's Day gift. He asked me what it was, once I showed him, he agreed it was too good of a deal to pass up and said at least it's pink. I have to say I love that my husband is not a person that I have to lie to about my purchases and an enabler when it comes to this hobby of mine!

Yesterday, my Big Shot came in the mail. I spent hours playing with it. Embossing, CUTTING and making new cards. Fun times, fun times.

Sharing the Love

I posted recently about the great deal I got on some Stampin' Up products. I decided that this month's gift to my followers would be a chance to win one of the stamp sets and an ink pad. The stamp set is called "Love Ya" it is a 1999 series new and unmounted; the ink pad is Rose Romance also new and sealed. 

You have to be a follower of the blog and post a comment about what you love to enter to win this set. Make sure I can contact you by email if you win. Winners have 1 week after to contact me after I send the email letting them know they have won to claim their prize. The contest ends at 9 pm on Feb. 28, 2012 and winner will be drawn by random.org 

Sour Cream Container Valentine's

 Happy Valentine's Day!

My daughter wanted to do something fun for her friends at school this year for Valentine's Day. So, we decided to do sour cream containers.  I knew the kids liked getting treats and I thought this would be a fun way to package them. 

~ Start with a piece of paper cut to 4 1/4' x 5 1/2' 

~ Put double sided adhesive on one short side and both long sides. 

~ Roll the paper the short way, like a toilet paper tube.

~Stick down to adhesive.

~ Squeeze the one side of the tube closed.

~Fill with the candy of your choice, don't over fill or you won't be able to close the other side.

~ Once full, squeeze the other side the opposite way to create the "sour cream container look". 

~ If you have a crimper, you can run the ends through; it makes them look like the ones at Wendy's.

~ Here are my final ones. 

You can dress them up with little tags and ribbons by punching holes in the top and adding them. It looks really nice.

Learning New Things IS Fun

The other night I was home with my youngest daughter, after we had a mommy and daughter night complete with a movie and pizza. She went off to bed. I had a few hours of quiet left before my husband and the older two kids came home. I decided to try using my distress inks for more than just edging cards. I went to my trusted friend: YouTube for suggestions.  I found a great tutorial by Tim Holtz that showed several different methods using the in pads and tags. So, I decided I was going to try one. Then his video finished and over to the right a beautiful tag caught my eye. I clicked the link and watched the tutorial. I decided to try  that one instead. Here is my finished work. It includes: distressing, embossing and layering flowers with distressed edges. 

Finished Card: Tim Holtz Seedless Preserves and Ripe Persimmon Distress Ink, embossed with white cats eye ink and CTMH embossing powder.

A Close up of the flower: Tim Holtz Seedless Preserves Distress Ink used on leaves

Inspired by: Tim Holtz Tutorial & Jennifer McGuire/Hero Arts

Clear Stamp Adventure

I have a confession: I am a stamp snob. I prefer Stampin' Up stamps. When I started making cards, I really thought clear stamps were the cheap step cousins of wood mount stamps and could not work as well as "the real thing". Imagine my shock and surprise when my sister in-law (are you noticing a trend) introduced me to clear stamps. I kind of fell in love and realized each kind of stamp has their place. Clear stamps really stamp awesome and crisp in a way that wood mounts don't.

Well, last night I was making a card for my "other daughter". Let me explain, Sammy has been part of our lives for 5 years, my oldest daughter's best friend. Sometimes it seems as if she has always been part of our family. She just slipped right into our home years ago and we have never looked back. Here is the stamp I was using. When I was done, I washed it and laid it out on a towel to dry. This morning I went looking for it and it was GONE. I looked and looked and could not find it. I was worried that it got knocked into the trash. So, I even looked there. Nope, no little stamp. I called my husband who was about to board a plane to ask if he saw it when he was getting ready to leave but he said no it was not sitting there when he left. Poor little stamp: lost!!

Lo and behold a few minutes later my 10 year old called me and said, "Mom, I think I found your stamp." Yep, there it was on the bottom of her coffee (tea, actually) cup. When I got hot water for her tea I must have sat the cup on the stamp and it clung to the bottom.

Here is Sammy's completed card: Happy Birthday girly.

Layout inspiration:  http://prairiepaperandink.typepad.com/amyr/my_papertrey_stuff/

My Place to Create

Hanging bucket organizers and flower jars; I have hanging organizers for the jars 

but they are not on the wall yet.  

Magnetic wall shelf from Michael's. LOVE this! I added sticky hooks for some of my clear stamps.  

My best deal so far! I got this "Stampin' Up" stamp pad holder and all the stamps plus 

a bunch of stamp sets for $80!!! It's handmade and fits three Copics per shelf; it was supposed

to be the Stampin' Up markers but I have Copics. LOVE, Love, love it. 

(See my pretty ATG sitting there?)

My messy work space and more storage. The baskets underneath are from 31 Gifts. Love them.

Card display area, Stampin' Up stamp storage, misc stamps in drawers, paper storage and 

other misc items in bins (glues, ribbon, etc)

My Cricut & Cuddle Bug

Cartridge storage and misc stuff. 

My New Toy

I have been coveting this ATG for months but have not bitten the bullet to purchase one. I started making cards using my kids glue sticks and quickly realized that was a mistake! So, I moved onto a Herma Dotto. I love that, it is small and easy to use but I go through the glue really fast.  When I was at my sister in-law's over the summer she has one of these ATG's in red and I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. I have said before that I participate in Swaps and RAK's (random acts of kindness) on a message board.  I was pleasantly surprised to open a box on Monday and find I was gifted this beautiful ATG; I quickly put the tape in and made a card. 

Change of Heart

I have been thinking a lot about a photo I saw online recently. The photo was of a young girl, a young man and an older woman walking into an abortion clinic. The caption noted that this group of people stood on the doorstep of the clinic for a long time before going in and the girl was crying. I was moved to stop what I was going and pray right at that moment that she would not terminate her pregnancy. Obviously, she was unsure of the step she was taking and in her heart was broken over the decision she was making. But they went in anyway. 

There was a time that I was a supporter of a woman's a right to choose to have an abortion. I am a Christian and people could not wrap their minds around that fact. No matter the argument people threw my way it took God's conviction and timing to change my heart on the issue.  I knew I would never have an abortion but thought others should have the "right" to make their own decision in the matter.  That changed one day when I heard a former abortionist speak about what they did during and after abortions.  I did not set out to hear this woman speak, I got in my car to drive home from work and she was on the radio. I was so appalled I could not turn the station. I was about 8 months pregnant and she was speaking about terminating even late term pregnancies. 

I am not trying to change anyone's heart today, that is not my job.  I am asking you to pray for that young girl, the guy who was with her and the  woman who was with her. I do not know the outcome of their trip to the clinic but I cannot get them off my mind. I shared this photo because it made me think of how we can go from something just plan and simple: an old key (it was my dad's). To something beautiful when God changes our lives. 

Girly Girls and Hurt Feelings

My youngest daughter is a girly girl. She loves people and is generally great in a crowd; she is the life of a party even when it is a bunch of teenagers and adults. But she has always been a bit emotional and sensitive.  This in itself is not a bad thing, it makes her very open to other people's feelings and she cares about others. But she also is quick to get her feeling hurt over things that others just don't think twice about. Sadly, she gets this from her mother. I am trying to teach her that she needs to be in control of her own feelings and not allow others to dictate how she feels. It is a hard lesson to teach a ten year old.

I am close to my children, we talk about everything in their lives but I also believe that there are two sides to every story and then there is the truth somewhere within those two sides. Especially, when you are dealing with children. So, when she gets in the car after school and tells me about something that happens in the cafeteria or on the playground, I always ask if she did something to cause the incident. Is there more to the story that is not being shared. She is my youngest child, I have learned to dig deeper. Sometimes they are embarrassed to tell the details or they have forgotten or they just don't want to tell the full truth. Possibly, they just truly don't know what brought on an issue but if questioned it will come out.

The the question is do you allow your child  to navigate the waters on their own or step in? Do you allow them to learn how to resolve an on and off conflict with someone? I was told two completely different opinions on this issue when I shared my daughter's situation with a couple of people.  Mind you this was not a situation where she was being bullied, hurt (other than feelings) or anything critical. It was just little girls getting their feelings hurt over a small issue.

What do you think?

Babies in Church

I am giving you a "soapbox" warning on this post: meaning I am getting on my soapbox about something. 

Over the last few days, I have been chewing on this subject because I was in church on Sunday a person behind me kept saying "Amen", "Yes, Brother", etc to everything the pastor said. I mean everything the pastor said.  It got to the point that I was so distracted by him, I got to the point of anticipating the next Amen.  On the way home from church our topic of conversation in the car turned to this gentleman and his  style of worship vs. babies in church.  We just do not understand how a baby gurgling or even crying if it is not a full blown cry is any more distracting than this gentleman.

Our church has had a baby boom over the last year.  I am not sure of the number of babies but I think we have had about 10-12 babies born over the past year. There is a nice nursery in the church but a lot of new parents like to have their babies with them in church for a few months. There has been a great debate over when the right time to take babies to the nursery and when to remove the babies from the service is. I think if a parent wants to bring their baby or toddler to church it is their right.  Other people think babies should never be in church, they should go right to the nursery that is why it is provided. I do not think anyone has a right to tell parents that they have to put their baby in a nursery even at church.  I think we should feel welcome at church of all places. Do people really think the sermon on the mount was quiet?  But when people started complaining about the children, what did Jesus say?

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, 

for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14