Using the Stockpile

This past week I created two cards I am pretty happy about.  I had a concept in my head for each and I was able to actualize it which isn't always how it works for me (I wish it was the norm!).  I set myself another challenge as well.  I have all these lovely kits I have stockpiled because I am a hoarding nut.  It is embarrassing to admit my problem, but isn't that the first step?  Hello my name is Shay and I am a hoarder of all craft supplies.  I decided enough is enough (plus I am running out of room), so I thought I would break into my Scarlet Lime kits and use those to create my cards. 

After looking through them I decided on a kit with lovely limes and turquoises for the wedding card and then I chose another with bright vibrant colors with a touch of black for my friend's birthday card.  I began on the wedding card on Sunday evening with a great idea to use my vintage boy and girl and the ampersand stamps from Studio Calico (sadly they are all retired now).  I was happily adding patterned paper and rub-ons from my Scarlet Lime kit (horrible hoarding admission time: that was the first time I had used a rub-on although I have bought more than a few over the years) when I decided my card-base was all wrong.  So Monday night I went with a more basic card-base and set the other aside for future use.  I think all turned out well with the card although it may be cleaner than my natural inclination. 

Last night I knew I had to make a card for a friend's birthday which is this upcoming weekend and needed to get in the mail pronto.  I knew I wanted to use some of my Kenner Road stamps for a vintage look (and they are gorgeous!).  I remembered seeing some wonderful projects that Katie Watson created whilst on the Kenner Road design team back in October 2009 and they proved to be an inspiration for the card I made.  The other inspiration for me is one of my favorite, favorite cardmakers of all time: Betsy Veldman. 

Now I didn't look at either of my inspirations when I was actually making the cards, but I know these were the visual references flashing in my head:

Katie Watson (birdhouse with stamped scallop--genius!)
Betsy Veldman (strip of background behind focal image which I began with and then because an empty card felt well empty I went for more and more!)

Here is the card I created (front and then lastly the inside):

A lucky choice of adding the buttons around the that adorable bird stamp makes it took a bit like a nest to me.  Another lucky choice was "ruffling" up a strip of punched patterned paper which just wasn't working before.  I learned the basic technique in a Basic Grey card class I took locally (you place a strip of adhesive on the backside of a long strip of paper and then pleat--fold--the paper onto itself which remains in place because of the adhesive.  The smaller the pleat, the longer the paper needs to be) and I thought why not try it with the patterned paper I had punched?  It worked out just right--adding interest, flair and some texture and I even like that a bit of the white from the back peeks through.

Thank you for calling at the Hall! I hope you enjoyed today's cards.

Boy & Girl Card

Supplies:

Stamps: Vintage Boy, Vintage Girl and Ampersand, Studio Calico; Banner (from Narrative Elements set), Inque Boutique; Congratulations (from Darcy collection), Anna Griffin

Inks: Walnut Stain, Peeling Paint and Broken China, Tim Holtz Distress Ink by Ranger Industries

Cardstock: Sand and Earthstone, Neenah Papers

Patterned Papers: Beach Caribe and Cantando (from Canta Collection), GCD Studios

Embossing Folder: Allegro, Cuttlebug by Provo Craft

Other: Crop-A-Dile Corner Chomper, We R Memory Keepers; 1/4" Ribbon, Offray; Dimensional Foam Adhesives; Cuttlebug, Provo Craft

Gypsy Bird Card

Supplies:

Stamps: Collage Bird, Vintage Seal, Today Circle and Button Card Trio, Kenner Road; Background Basics: Diamonds and Background Basics: Text Style, Papertrey Ink; Happy Birthday (from Greetings Peg Stamp Set), Inkadinkado

Inks: Black Soot, Vintage Photo, Broken China, Fired Brick, Spiced Marmalade and Worn Lipstick, Tim Holtz Distress Inks by Ranger Industries

Cardstock: White, Georgia-Pacific; Recycled 100 Natural White, Neenah Papers

Patterned Paper: Deep Black Patch (from Nancy Jane Collection), Adornit Carolee's Creations

Punch: Loop Border Punch, Martha Stewart

Other: Embroidery Floss, DMC; Buttons, from Scarlet Lime kits; Dimensional Foam Adhesives

Marriage a la TV

Does anyone else watch "The Marriage Ref"?  I watch already aired shows on demand and find it both fascinating and funny.  I don't watch all the much reality television with the exception of cooking shows, decorating shows, craft shows (when  I can find them--they have gotten scarce) and marathons of "Project Runway" (I guess I watch more than I thought!).  I suppose I like the absurdity of this show.  Three disparate celebrities (as we all know celebrities are well known for their solid and healthy relationships) discussing and judging quirky issues married couples have (like a wife keeping the prosthetic leg of her deceased husband in the closet she shares with her current husband or a husband stuffing his beloved dog and placing him in a shrine built in their house to his wife's horror) whilst sparks fly between the couples, celebrities and ref.  Good wholesome fun! 

Now onto something completely unrelated!  Here is a birthday card I made for a cousin of mine.  The butterfly by Unity Stamp Company (from one of the kit of the months--great deal) I had left over from ATC's I made that month and was the beginning piece of the card. 

Bright Butterfly Card
Supplies:
Stamps: Butterfly (from KOM-9: Friendship. Love. Miracles set), Unity Stamp Company and Flower (from Botanical Blooms set), Stampin' Up!
Cardstock: White, Georgia-Pacific; Crushed Curry, Stampin' Up!
Ink: Black, Marvy Matchables; Walnut Stain, Tim Holtz Distress Ink by Ranger Industries
Sprays/Color Washes; Mango Lemonade, Memory Mists; Terra Cotta, Tim Holtz Color Wash by Ranger Industries
Border Punch: Postage Stamp, EK Success
Paint: Metallic Pearl White, Folk Art by Plaid

Other: Clear Embossing Powder, Ranger Industries; Notch Decorative Scissor, Fiskars; Ribbon; Manilla Tag; Seguin Remnant

Blog Makeover A

I will not admit to the exact amount of time I spent fiddling around with my new header and tweeking the design of the blog because upon seeing the changes you will not understand how it took as long as it did.  Then again it took me 2 hours to make a salad for dinner tonight so perhaps that will give a glimpse into my world (to redeem myself a little I did make a carnivore and vegan version of the salad and it was met with approval by both camps).

I do wish to mention where I got all of the gorgeous brushes I used for the header (although truthfully my header is a poor example of the beauty of these designs that Rhonna Farrer designed.  I will probably be continuing to make new headers until I love my header).  I have written of House of 3 before, but I don't think I can heap enough praises upon the ladies of House of 3.  I could happily buy every product at House of 3 and they also have a great live webshow every Wednesday.  Okay, enough pitching.  Go and find out on your own if you like and start playing around with brushes (very addicting).

Have a brilliant night and thanks for calling at the Hall.

Christmas in April?

Hello there everyone. An annoying cold has taken up residence at my household for the last week and more. I hope everyone else is in fine health because this cold is obnoxious! This means I have done no creating whatsoever this past week although I did get into my studio last Saturday and did some much, much needed cleaning up. Anyone else make a huge mess in their studio...perhaps to the point it may be condemnable? That is me. I will pull out this and that until I have to make a little patch of workspace on my tables (yes, tables as in two nice sized work surfaces and I still clutter it all up). Anyway, I am trying to reform. No, really I am. This also means buying less. This is harder than keeping my studio clean because I LOVE buying new stamps, papers, buttons, tools, punches, embossing folders, dies and the like. It pretty nearly kills me to limit myself like that. Anyone else have this problem? Well, space limitations and budget don't seem to like my buying compulsions one little bit so there you have it. A positive outcome of less buying is that I will have to rediscover what I already have. I am sure like me many of you have a lot too. It is time I use what I have and become more creative. If anyone has been facing this dilemma, please share what you have done and how it has effected your creating.


Anyway, I thought I would share a Christmas card (the only Christmas card I made in 2009 actually) I made with you. All the elements were leftovers from my Holiday Cookie Books. Eskimo Kisses by Basic Grey was the first inspiration for the Cookie Books and inspired the colors and products used. Don’t you love that gingerbread man? That was what sold me on the Holiday Button Bits by Papertrey Ink although there are many adorable images. I wonder if they have a Holiday Button Bits II if they will include a gingerbread house? Wouldn’t that be irresistible?

The details:

Not My Gumdrop Buttons! Card

Supplies:
Stamps: All from Holiday Button Bits, Papertrey Ink
Inks: Dark Chocolate, Papertrey Ink; VersaMark, Tsukineko; Tim Holtz Distress Inks
Cardstock: Kraft, Papertrey Ink; Earthstone, Neenah Papers
Patterned Paper: Eskimo Kisses (6x6 size), Basic Grey
Border Punches: Gingerbread Man, Martha Stewart; Petals, EK Sucess
Buttons: Holiday Mix, Papertrey Ink
Twine: Martha Stewart

Thanks for calling at the Hall.  Have a joyous day!