Saturday, January 29, 2011

February 19, 2011 Card Class - Get Ready for 10 cards!

Here's my next card class - 10 (5 designs of 2 each) birthday cards!  I used the "Life is Good" line (cardstock and alphabet stickers) by Echo Park.  These cards are different in that they don't open conventionally - they really are layers and flaps.
The star is my personal favorite - I am not a big fan of stickers, but these turned out very cute.
The inside of the star... 
I also used their element/tag sheet for some of the flaps. 
I love the colors of this line and the designs - springy, summery, florals.  I hope you like it, too.  The class is set for Saturday, February 19, 2011, at 1:00 p.m. at Paper Vineyard Scrapbook Store in Chandler.  Price is $25.  You should think about signing up - I would love to see you there!

Friday, January 28, 2011

Another half apron - special order

You will remember that I made a half apron for Katie, my daughter who is a first grade teacher.  She loved the alphabet print since she teaches first grade.  A friend of hers - another teacher - asked if I could make her one, too.  So that was one of my weekend projects.

It is just a tad different than Kate's, but it turned out nice.  I am thinking I need one.  This picture was during construction...
Thanks, Kimmy, for being my apron model!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

More stichin'

I sat down on Sunday morning and pulled out the scraps from the lunch box/card class I just finished on Saturday.  I placed them on a 12 x 12 piece of cardstock and started stichin'.  It is kind of like putting together a puzzle and I really enjoy doing it.  I love these colors in Crate Papers' "Restoration" line.  I think they would make great backgrounds and what I need to do next is create a scrapbook page using these pages.  I'll get right on that.
I need to do another so I have two coordinated pages.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

January's Card Exchange

The assigment for January's Card Exchange was to come up with a character card.  First off, I need to say that I am not a cat person.  I have owned cats in the past and loved them, but I would still say that I am not a cat lover.  I was attracted to this cat stamp many years ago (1999 - it is actually dated) and thought he is so stinkin' cute that I just had to have him.  It is by Penny Black.  It was well worth the money because I have used this stamp many times over.  I have always wanted to color the hearts on his bloomers green and use the saying below.  I finally did it and have to say I love the look!  Green is my favorite color, so I am happy about the end results.

I colored him by using water color pencils.  I love the effect of shading they give.  Stitched around the edge, the paper used was by Reminisce, I believe.  This turned out to definitely be a card for St. Patrick's Day or any of your Irish friends.
I used a border punch for the inside flap to give it a little bit of something extra.  Love those green hearts!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Book by Carlos

I'd like to say I taught Carlos everything he knows, but that would be a lie.  Carlos is the brother of my friend, Celina.  A while back, Celina signed herself up for one of my classes - the explosion book - and also signed up her husband, Greg, and brother, Carlos.  She thought they should see how, and why, she likes to spend her time crafting.  I did teach Carlos how to make this book, but wait until you see what he did with it!  It is absolutely wonderful and very different ~
It is a travel book that he made for Celina and Greg.  He took photos and cut other photos of Greg and Celina and used them together to make "scenes."  It's hard for you to see but in this next photo, photos of Celina and Greg are placed in the mountains, kind of like their own Mt. Rushmore.  Very cool.
In this photo, Carols put pictures of Celina and Greg on top of another photo, which actually makes a third photo - this one.  It is hard to explain, but all of these photos on top of each other, interposed with other photos, is very 3-D.
Nice use of embellishments, Carlos.
This is the whole book stretched ("explosion") out...
Celina says that Carlos is much more creative than her.  I'm not sure I agree, but I do agree that this is one very unique book and an awesome gift - one that Celina and Greg will cherish.  Thanks for sharing it with me!

Monday, January 24, 2011

Kimmy's Key Tag

While I was in Florida, working on my cards for Sunday's card exchange, Kimmy sent me a picture of a tag  she made that night.  I love it because it is very vintage.  What you don't know?  Kim does not do vintage, so this is something different for her.  I really do like the key and keyhole.
Nice job, Kimmy!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Lunch Box Class...

No, we weren't learning how to pack a lunch.  This is the class where we used alcohol inks, paper, and chipboard embellishments to cover/alter a mini metal lunch box.  I had 20 people in class and sold another 4 kits.  Man, that is awesome!  I have to say that I think this class was one of the smoothest classes I've taught.  It just went like clock work.  Of course, I had great help.  Krista of Paper Vineyard helped me set up the tables and work station.  Everyone worked away.  In every class, I always ask some sort of trivia question of the participants.  This time I asked where they were from/where they were born.  We had SIX from Arizona, which is somewhat unbelievable.  We had some from each coast.  It was fun to learn this information.  Now the pictures... okay, that's me.
This is Joanie's spot and her lunch box, but she's not around.  Her area sure does look nice and clean.
Claudia and Judy...  they are finished and just sitting back and relaxing.
Collen is stamping the sayings for her cards.  We had plenty of alcohol inks to choose from and each person had their own applicator to use.  That helped tremendously!
Some of the ladies had already cleared out by the time I started to take pictures, but these ladies are working away, getting their cards done.
It was a fun day - and no stress at all.  Thanks to everyone who took my class!  It really was a fun project.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Grandparents Brag Book

When my sister, Gail, became a grandma, I decided to make her a brag book.  I believe the paper is by Crate Paper and I absolutely love the line....
She has it on her mantle and she has placed a few photos in it of her first two grandchildren. 
Nathan...and Raleigh.
A place or two for Caleb...


I love this line of paper.  Even though it is pink and brown, it can definitely be for a boy or girl.
Room for more grandchildren.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

A Quarter of a Century

My oldest daughter, Katie (short for Katelyn) turns 25 today!  Happy Birthday, Kate!  I just want to share with you some of my favorite pictures - it was so hard to choose!  This is Easter morning at Grandma's house when she was just 15 months old...
Making silly faces with her sister, Kimberly... 
 First day of school when she was 9 years old - 3rd grade...
 Giving her sister a hug and a kiss while taking a hike on a "wilderness trail" in Wisconsin...
 One summer vacation day spent in sunny Florida...
 Graduation day from ASU in December 2008...
 Trying on sunglasses at the Bureau of Engraving in Washington D.C. in the summer of 2009...
Kate, I am proud to say you are my daughter.  You have reached one of many milestones and I wish you countless more!  I love you!

This is also my 200th blog!  I started in May of 2010 and I can't believe it, but I have done 200 blogs!  Amazing!

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Scrappy Boutique, Orlando, FL

While in Florida I am working on my cards for the card exchange, but I needed green paper, so... what a great opportunity to check out a scrapbook store.  I had to look hard to find one.  Several were listed on the internet, but many of them were closed.  I did find Scrappy Boutique in Orlando and my mom, dad, and I took a drive over there to check it out.  This is Jenna...
Front doors.  It is located in a shopping center.
Lots of stuff to look at.  It was packed with lots of great lines and embellishments.
The cropping/class area - I had mom and dad sit and wait for me here while I did a little shopping.  My dad was in printing for all of his working career and so, naturally, he is looking at the paper.  I think it surprised him that I wanted to drive 30 minutes to buy green paper.  Little does he know...
I have a whole room of "stuff."  While I was working on my cards, he said "these cards aren't cheap."  I couldn't argue with that and simply agreed.  At some point, it's not about the money.  Am I right?

Monday, January 17, 2011

Parents Book

For my parents anniversary a couple of years ago, I did this altered book for him.  The book is actually a diecut, which made it very easy.
My parents have known each other since they were in school.
Graduation days - although my dad was a year older than my mother.
I love these photos because, to me, they seem out of character for my parents.  My dad - Mr. GQ leaning against a tree - and my mom, all dressed up with stockings, posing in front of a palm tree.
Photos - together - during their dating years.
This is a car they won shortly after they were married.  Actually, it was my mother who won it through the State of Illinois.  They were living in Chicago and had no use for a car, so they sold it.
Many years later, this is their family.  Five kids!  I bet they never thought they would have 5 kids.
My parents at Rock Springs in Florida.  Diana (a foreign exchange student who lived with us when I was in grade school) and her husband, Juan Pablo, visiting the states for my parents 50th wedding anniversary party.
Fiftieth anniversary party.  All five of us descended on Florida at my sister's home for the celebration.
All together again probably for one of their birthdays.
Back to my parents.
I really enjoyed making this book for mom and dad.  I know they have enjoyed sharing it with family members and friends who visit.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

I'm going on a trip and I'm taking a...

Did you ever play that game?  Where you start with "a" and go through the alphabet naming items you would take on a trip with you?  Then each person has to recite the list when its their turn?  I used to play it with my girls all the time - especially when we were traveling in the car.  They seemed to like it - at least they played along.  And it was a pleasant way to pass the time.
I am going on a trip and I am taking along a project to work on.  I am working on my cards for the card exchange.  We are exchanging "character cards."  You can see that I am doing a cat.  Looking forward to some doingsome coloring with my water color pencils and blender pens.
My stamp pads, adhesives, very few tools - ready to go!