Giving a Little Love to My Paper Craft Rejects

The acceptances went out for the Paper Crafts May/June 2012 issue today. And while I will have a project in there, I also have a few that didn't get picked up that I LOVE, and want to share. Not just because they are fun, but because they have a story and it is one I think is worth sharing.
One of the calls was for projects using inspirational quotes on projects. I am a huge fan of Dr. Seuss and the art form he perfected in crafting beautiful, wise and whimsical phrasing that has meaning to all who read his works. From the youngest child just learning to read to the older and more experienced, he left no one in need...

With that in mind I am going to share a crafting challenge that I tried to use and make an opportunity to overcome and grow my design skills.

First I found a quote from Dr. Seuss that could be very inspiring to graduates, teachers and hopefully most anyone who would need a little pick me up or encouragement. Then I used some favorite fonts and colors that would compliment the Ruby Rock-It paper line I had in mind to make the card from. The paper was then trimmed and run through the printer. So here is a first suggestion so we can all learn from my experience, do a test run first. Why you might ask, well if you are running out of ink and you don't know it or aren't paying attention to the computer message center your little work of art could turn into something a little different than what you had planned and imagined.

That would be where this first card comes from. The colors are not what I had planned, but I am stubborn and decided that it was cute and worth making a card to submit. The papers are from the Ruby Rock-It Bella Boy collection and Basic Grey's Out of Print collection.

So with the submission deadline looming, I made the run to Office Depot to pick up refills for my blue and black ink wells for my hungry little printer. $37.86 later I was back at home hitting the print button again after loading the ink.

This inspiring card was what I had imagined from the beginning, and was thrilled to see it come to fruition! Now that I look at it and see the scale of it, it wold have been much better executed as a gift bag. But that is the fun of going through this process with each call. I learn so much and love the challenges that come from pushing myself to go through this process. Even with the "rejection" I feel empowered and inspired to enjoy the creative process more and to learn more so I might be more successful the next time around.

What do you enjoy about your creative process and how does rejection affect you? Does it shut you down or do you grow from it? I am curious and would love to hear about your experiences. Do you take flops and try to save them or do you circle file them?

Inquiring minds want to know!!!
B-

Celebrating a Very Happy Halloween with Doodlebug and Ruby Rock-It!!!

I hope everyone is enjoying their Halloween with some treats and some tricking!
I love giving and receiving goodies, and thought it would be fun to share a quick Doodlebug and Scor-Pal project that you can whip a few of up in no time to deliver last minute goodies to friends and neighbors.

1)Trim paper at 11 1/2” wide by 9” tall.
2) Start with the width paying close attention to directional pattern Score at 1 1/2”,
5 1/2”, 7”, and 11”.
3) Turn paper sideways and score at 1 1/2”, and 7 1/2”.
4) Trim along vertical lines to the top and bottom horizontal line.

5) Fold along all the lines.
6) Apply Score-Tape to the side flap and attach to other side, fold in side flaps and adhere closed.
7) Optional apply Score-Tape to top flap, but leave protective covering in place. If concerned that it will be removed and closed before being filled wait to apply adhesive until ready to use.
8) Cut black card stock at 11 1/2” wide by 1 1/2” tall.
9) Score at 1 1/2”, 5 1/2”, 7”, and 8 1/2”. Wrap around box and adhere end to end.
10) Cut “Boo” image from paper and adhere to black card stock with dimensional foam.
11) Adhere black card stock to wrap with dimensional foam.

I am also celebrating the day away with the news that I have been selected as an inaugural member of the Ruby Rock-It design team!!

Along with these other talented designers:

Sandy Ang - Singapore

Sarah Hill - Indiana

Amanda Jones - UK

Rebecca Keppel - Arizona

Gina Lideros - California

Becky Olsen - Utah

Benedicte Raphalen - France

Debbie Sherman - Wyoming

JJ Sobey - Canada

Carrie Walz - Illinois

Jodi Wilton - Canada

Erin Yamabe - California

Keely Yowler - Kentucky

The last few days have been filled with so much good news that I think I may actually explode!! I am really excited to work with this company, and their products! 

Best wishes for a treat filled day to everyone!!

B-

Chalkboard Pumpkin Tutorial

I wanted to share how easy it is to make your own chalkboard pumpkins. I did them last year and wrote about them in a post, but didn't think to share any of the information in that post. That post continues to be one of the more popular and I don't want anyone to come to the blog hoping for information and leaving disappointed because the post wasn't intended as a how-to, but as a this was fun.

So lets get down to the nuts and bolts, and don't worry there is plenty of time to pull this off before Halloween arrives. 

What you will need:

1. Pumpkins (I used the plastic ones from the craft store so they could be used year after year, but you could certainly paint a real one and just chuck it when you are done with it.)
2. Chalkboard paint (I tried the spray can type first and was not happy with the results, so went with the kind in the can and loved the results)
3. Glue (I used Multi Medium by Claudine Hellmuth because I could brush it on, but most any kind would work)
4. Paintbrushes (A few different sizes for different jobs, rinse immediately after each application)
5. Black Glitter (I used a very inexpensive craft style)
6. White Chalk (Found it at Target but I think most school supply sections of a store would have it)
7. Drop Cloth (Something to protect the surface you will be working on)

Start by putting a layer of chalkboard paint onto the pumpkin. 

Continue adding layers of paint until you get a nice even coverage, set it aside to dry.

Apply glue to the stem of the pumpkin and then sprinkle black glitter over the glue, set it aside to dry.

Get the chalk out of its box (if this will be a gift you 

could give the whole box of chalk or tie a piece onto the stem with a cute piece of ribbon)

Once the chalk is in hand, have fun! Write a greeting a give it as a gift with some treats, draw a cute or spooky face for your porch or add more glitter and glam it up as a centerpiece for the table. Paint tiny ones and use them as place settings, the possibilities are endless!! 

Happy Haunting!

B-

World Card Making Day Winner? No Way!!!

Way!!!
World Card Making Day, that little contest that Paper Crafts has every year where a few people (hundreds) sent in some cards (1850+) in the hopes of winning some goodies (over a $1000 prize package), maybe you have heard about it? Well, I sent in a few of my fave cards in some of the categories and one of my entries actually won in the "Thinking of You/Hello" category. Now I overslept this morning, not thinking I had a chance and had gone to bed late after catching up on some work while the house was quiet. I awoke to a few fun texts and emails from sweet friends congratulating me, and for the rest of the day you could have knocked me over with a feather! And while I can't share the card with you that was selected, it is set to be published the March/April issue of Paper Crafts, I can share some more timely cards that are perfect for this spooky and kooky time of year.

This quick and easy cutie came together in five minutes using some Cosmo Cricket chipboard and Little Yellow Bicycle stickers.

This one took just a few more minutes and used some October Afternoon paper behind the Little Yellow Bicycle frame and stickers with the Cosmo Cricket stickers.

These cute little cards will get attached to some goodies and dropped and the doorsteps of friends. I am getting better at quick, easy and done. Sometimes I get so caught up in making something elaborate instead of done that I get overwhelmed and then end up not delivering. It has been one of my goals to change that and by keeping more of my projects simple it helps me achieve that.

Chloe and Carter are dressing up at work tomorrow for the Boo at the Zoo event that Hogle Zoo does every year. We spent the afternoon/evening working on the last few details and I can't wait to get pictures! Chloe is dressing up as Peter Pan and we even found some pixie dust (Krylon's new glitter spray in silver) for her shoulders. Carter is going full nerd in an amazing costume that my mom created for him. The Real Player Game called Nightfall has a character profession called a Dervish. I still really don't understand it completely, but all the gamers will and that is all that matters.  But when I share pictures, it will make a whole lot more sense I think.

Anyway, I am hoping to spend the weekend relaxing, socializing with the family on Sunday night and hopefully getting caught up with the stuff that is sitting on my desk needing attention.

First of all though, I think I will enjoy my little visit to Cloud 9 with this win for just a few minutes more  :o)

B-

Hambly Chevron

Remember last April when I was able to get down to Arizona for a few days, visit my aunt and attend a friends wedding? I had a chance to make a layout using some of Hambly's new products and also share a tutorial on building a chevron pattern and I used one of the pictures I had taken at the wedding. Kim's colors had been  a gorgeous shade of yellow and a beautiful gray, the new Hambly was perfect!
















If you are interested in the technique I used to create this layout you can find more information on this Hambly blog post.

I love the memories that I have from that wonderful weekend, and I am so happy for Kim and Steve to have found each other and enjoying a beautiful life together!

B- 

There Is No Place Like Home

There is just something about this time of year where the weather is changing from warm to crisp and the thoughts of snuggling up at home with crocheting on my lap and a hearty stew on the stove, that always makes me think to myself that there really is no place like home. It is a great time to get caught up on some crating and scrapbooking and maybe even get started on Christmas cards so they can be sent out on time...
(nah! LOL!!)

With all the fun that Fall brings, one of the favorites has got to be Halloween, and I loved making this project for a class at Heartland, but now that has come and gone and it seems like a good time to share it here. The photo mat is only adhered on the left, bottom and right so it has a nice large pocket for a journaling card or even extra pictures if you wanted. I have a couple of older pics that I am thinking are the perfect fit for it, just need to print and adhere!

I just love this collection, as a kid I always wanted my own pair of ruby slippers! I think this is as close as I am going to get, and I am good with that  ;o)

B-

Magic of Oz Tags 2	Magic of Oz Goblin Gazette	Magic of Oz 12" x 12" paper pack	Magic of Oz Scatterbrained Scarecrow
Magic of Oz Journey to Oz	Magic of Oz Yellow Brick Road	Magic of Oz Tenderhearted Tin Man	Graphic 45 Staples Hinges

InLinkz.com

Washi Tape Weaving

A few weeks ago I shared a tutorial for weaving washi tape over at the Hambly blog, it was quite fun and once I did the card size I knew I wanted to try it as a layout as well. Honestly it was a little harder and took a lot more patience, but I am really happy with the results, and wanted to share them  :o)

The movement and colors of the weaving reminded me of Chloe and how she has so many unique and interesting components to her personality, but she is much more than just a hard worker, sweet daughter, great student or kind friend. She is our Chloe.

Also, Hambly is doing their design team search and I want to encourage everyone who has a crush on Hambly to give it a shot! It has been a dream to work with them and I am so grateful I had the opportunity to share my love for this company and their wonderful products with the world! The information can be found on this blog post for what you will need to do to apply.

Hope everyone has a very happy and crafty weekend!!

B-

Washi Tape

Washi Tape

Washi Tape

InLinkz.com

Happy World Card Making Day 2011

It is wonderful that people who love to make cards have their very own holiday to celebrate! We have all kinds of other days to celebrate donuts, birthdays, and talking like pirates, so why not set aside a day every year dedicated to delightful craft and community of giving miniature pieces of art to those we love? After all, isn't that what a handmade card really is? A bitty canvas that lets us pour our heart and soul onto and then give away that small part of us to a recipient who will hopefully ooooh and aaaaah over our efforts giving us that warm, giddy rush of happiness that make all the decisions worth the while.

I made a couple of cards just to share with anyone who happens by the blog today, and if you have a card that you have made for the day that you would like a little love on, leave a link and I will pop by!!

For this first one I used the Christmas Emporium line from Graphic 45. The stamps are beautiful red rubber and leave a fabulous impression and the paper is gorgeous! I stamped with Archival Jet Black then colored with my Prismacolors. Easy peasy and how relaxing is doing a little coloring while the afternoon whiles away?

A closer look at the shading if you are interested.




















And this fun little number uses Hambly's Birds on a Wire, some Authentique letters and handy dandy American Craft Thickers. No rocket science or skill required, just a cute and punny way to share happy birthday wishes with someone special.

Another fun way to celebrate card making is to do a little shopping, and I have seen great sales at loads of places! I know Ellen has some great products at great prices, so that might be a place to start if you need a little retail therapy (I am jealous if you don't, such self control is very impressive to me!!)

Of course there are loads of other cards in various stages of  completion on my desk, but that is the fun of having a whole day to make a mess, revel in small successes and maybe even get an entire set of holiday cards done...

(that isn't me, wish it was today, but not in the cards, lol!!)

If it is you, kudos!! That makes you my hero  ;o)

Best wishes for a delightful and productive World Card Making Day!!
B-

Graphic 45 Christmas Emporium Cling Stamp Set 1

Christmas Emporium Stamp Set 2

Hampton Art Graphic 45 Christmas Emporium Stamp Set 3

Graphic 45 Christmas Emporium

InLinkz.com

Upcycled Glass Jar Tea Lights

 I wanted to share a fun upcycle of glass jars and inexpensive vases that I have been playing with. They look really great when lit outside in the dark, but it is a little hard to see the fun detail of the the finish in those pictures, so I took a few pics in my light box.


















This little vase was from an inexpensive flower arrangement, but I loved the shape! I took my Alcohol ink in Lettuce and Silver and used the Tim Holtz application tool to dab the colors all over the outside.


















This was an old pasta sauce jar, and I have been saving them since I figured out how to do this, looking forward to doing some of these in oranges and purples and putting on my porch for the Halloween season. This one was done with Watermelon and Silver Alcohol inks. On the places I felt like the silver was getting too heavy I would add a little blending solution to the applicator tool. I did this one first and was a little more heavy handed with the silver than I was on the green. I like them both, but the light comes through the green one a little better because there is less silver on it and the silver is opaque.


















I love fall and crafting for the seasons and events is one of the biggest reasons why!

B-

Last Monday of the Summer

Well, it has been a gorgeous last Monday of the Summer, and I have been trying to enjoy every little second of it. A few hours of fun tennis in the perfect weather, some relaxing and a little work just to keep me on track so I don't get behind on anything.

World Card Making Day is just around the corner, and I am so excited about it! I am going to be making a set of Christmas cards to donate to the Festival of Trees, a fundraiser that is held here in Utah for the Primary Children's Hospital every year. And I am hoping that if I plan and prepare I can hopefully donate not just one set, but a few. So the plotting begins!!

Hope you are enjoying the last few minutes of your Summer too!
B-

Got No Love

Monday was a deadline for submissions for the Paper Crafts March/April issue and I took a little time to submit a few projects. Yesterday the acceptance emails went out and none of my projects got picked up, I think they need to see some sunshine so I am going to share some "rejects" that got no love  ;o)

Both of these were made while I was visiting with Karolyn and Kim during one of our crafty sessions. This one uses Hambly rub-ons, Memory Box dies, white ribbon, Studio Calico for Hero Arts stamp, and a Paper Trey impression plate. The lighting doesn't capture how elegant and textured this sweet card is, I just love it!




















And this sweet project uses Paper Smooches stamps and Studio Calico for Hero Arts (banner pieces), there is a Paper Trey Impression plate on the background of this as well and I used Fresh Ink for the wonderful ombre treatment on the banner and pulled the colors of the mom and baby from that. :o)

If anyone else had projects that got no love, and you want some love from me I am glad to give it, leave a comment with your blog link and I will pop on by!!

B-

Letting Go

From the outside looking into my life you might not see the constant creative chaos that I have been living in. I love every second of it, and am so grateful for all of the opportunities and blessings that have been showered upon me. But for this summer it has been too much and I wasn't sure how I would continue to do it all. Then I had a duh moment where I realized I didn't need to do it all and that I am no good to anyone if I am spread to thin. I would have to make the incredibly hard choice of what to let go of, and with the smallest of my responsibilities lying in a cute online shop in Issaquah Washington called Ellen Hutson it was my contributions to the CLASSroom blog, posting projects and tutorials that I would have to let go of.  It was incredibly hard as I love sharing my penchant for all things technique-y and geeky to make this choice, but it is also one of the places in my brain that took a lot of fire power and that was what I needed most to re-arrange. So with much sadness I had my last post there today and have been replaced by the delightful Julie Ebersol who is sure to dazzle and delight with her clever design and quick wit.

So what is it that has kept me hopping?

For the last year I have been contributing to the Graphic 45 in house team, and have loved every second of it. My assignments range from creating projects for special events or the trade shows to writing up instructions for classes. I love this job, the team that I work with is incredible and I feel very blessed to be able to call each of them friend.

On top of that I have been working with a local store called Heartland on their design team and as a class instructor. This decision happened in a very round about way, I was heartbroken when I received an email from the previous owner saying that they were closing down both stores. So when the Bountiful shop was purchased I determined that local businesses need help to survive and that I would do what I could to help them. There are so many great online shopping opportunities that it has really placed a strain on the smaller brick and mortar shops to compete, and what is it that they can offer to bring in customers? People who know and love paper and are willing to share that enthusiasm. Well, I can do that and while it hasn't been easy to fit into my schedule, but I am hoping that it makes a difference.

This is a Magic of Oz class that I am teaching on September 29th. There is a ton of product in the kit, and four projects to make. I am looking forward to sharing my love for Graphic 45 products with those who are able to join me that evening.

With all that life gives us, it would stand to reason that learning how to adjust would get easier at some point, but I think that change actually gets harder and more complicated as relationships develop. Letting go is hard to do.

B-

9.10.11

I love numerical coincidences! I am not good at finding them or seeing them for myself, my brain is a little too big picture to recognize or identify them, but when they are pointed out I enjoy them so much! I feel very lucky to have a few of the small picture/detail brained people in my home so they are very patient and kind in pointing out these lovely moments for me.

This is one of those "lucky to be me" kind of days too, I have been watching the US Open tennis tournament cheering and talking to the tv because it has been so exciting, cruising through itunes and using the gift card Laurel gave me for Mom's Day to purchase the Maroon 5 album (I have had "Moves Like Jagger" stuck in my head!!) and doing a little crafting (very little, the other distractions are so FAB!!) I really need to run to the office store to buy some ink for my printer, I have a few layouts on my desk that are waiting for pics, but I need to feed the printer so it will be willing to spit those out for me  ;o)

Over at the Hambly blog, I shared a tutorial on weaving washi tape. It is a really fun technique, and not that hard.

I won't be blogging tomorrow, but I wanted to share a memory from 9/11/01 in remembrance of the ten years that have passed since that tragic day.
I was a chaperon at my sons 6th grade camp and it was the day we took them out on their long hike through the beautiful Wasatch Mountain range. It was a beautiful day and the kids were behaving well for typical 12 year olds. We stopped on top of one of the ridges that offered a spectacular view and marveled at the beauty.    While we were doing this huge swarms of ladybugs moved through the air and landed on all of us, as well as the trees, bushes and ground. Having hiked a lot and spending a lot of time outside and never seeing anything like this before I was in amazement, it was one of the most surreal experiences I have ever had in my life, and the other adults in the group made similar remarks. We continued on our way and dropped into camp a couple of hours later, exhausted and ready for some quiet time with the kids in the late afternoon. As soon as we arrived one of the teachers who had stayed behind pulled all of the adults aside and informed us of what had been happening through the day. They were left with the decision of how to handle it with the kids, and whether they should even tell them or not. We ended up out at the big campfire ring telling the children about the events and then having a somber dinner and packing up the next morning and heading home.
Watching all of the news and reviews of the previous days events when we got home was so overwhelming. I couldn't understand how something so awful could happen and how so many lives could be lost in such a few short moments. Ten years later, the loss is still mind boggling and we are left with the question of how much did this change the path of America.
My take away from the event is to live life to the fullest each day, and to live that life generously, kindly and with forgiveness, no one knows what the next day may bring.

B-

Paper Smooches FOLKal Points

While in Seattle I had the opportunity to play with the FOLKal Points stamp set from Paper Smooches. The set is so cute (but isn't all of Kim's work absolutely adorable?) and this Matryoshka  doll makes me smile from ear to ear! She is so sweet, and it was really fun to paper piece her from a couple different lines of Prima's newest paper pads. I used Printery in 6" x 6" and Romantique in 8" x 8". The colors were warm and have lent a nice warm and vintage feeling to this card.

I left it without any sentiment so it could be used for any occasion. What do you think, does it need one?
Spent today playing some tennis, hiking in the mountains and doing some creating with the latest Graphic 45 products, so in love with the ABC Primer collection, amazing!
Anyway, the kids are loving the University of Utah and it is super cute that Tyler and Chloe have a math class and first semester French together (awe!) Having three college students still boggles my mind, but having them all at home makes me so happy, LOVE them!!

B-

September 1st!! Already?

Okay, after a whirl wind trip to the gorgeous Pacific North West and five days of blissfully perfect weather I am back to my wonderful life and happy to be back with my family. I had a wonderful time with the spectacular Karolyn Loncon and incredible Kim Hughes. We ate, laughed, cropped and even played some bingo, seriously good times!!

I took a few things to play with, some of which was the new Doodlebug Monster Mania line with the super easy and fun to use Create-A-Cards and was able to put together some Halloween cards that I just adore!


















I hauled pounds of crafty stuff and Karolyn has a palace full of wonderful toys, but for some reason I didn't come home with as many projects finished as I probably should have. Might have been all the munching on the delicious fresh fruit I was doing instead of working  ;o)

That is okay though, it was supposed to be a vacation, so no expectations went with me. I came home refreshed and now I am ready to tackle what ever comes my way, unless it is a rhinoceros, that I might dodge.

B-