Monday, March 13, 2017

FTC Filing, Police Stations and Just Add Ink Challenge

Hello!! It is Monday night here and we are expecting a blizzard tomorrow so school has already been called off. In some ways I am bummed because we will have to make it up in June but in other ways I am relieved.

I thought I was in the clear filing my taxes but we were informed last night that someone did file in my name. I spent the afternoon after work filing all sorts of forms and going to the police station to file a claim against identity theft. This is such a nightmare and I hope none of you will ever have to go through this. I still have lots of letter writing to do tomorrow with all this that I am not looking forward to.

I was able to do a couple of cards, though, for the "Just Add Ink" Challenge #350. It was a sketch challenge this week and I made two cards. I chose images from a pile on my desk.


I call this "creative chaos" and it takes up half the area where I put together my cards. I don't usually have this much in this pile but yesterday I spent some time fussy cutting as well as die cutting images out that I had stamped and colored in.

If I put it away, I will never use it so often when I do a sketch, I go through the pile and pick things out to layer with each other. Anyone else do this or am I the only messy one?

Here is the sketch I played with:


My design is very similar for both cards. For my first card, I not only used images from the pile but used all paper scraps that were in my file drawer.


I combined envelopes from CAS-ual Fridays "Special Delivery" Stamp set with a panda from Mama Elephant's "Incoming Mail" and a sentiment from the "Happy Mail" set.


The images were colored with Copic markers and I used my MISTI to stamp the sentiment.


Kind of dark but I have someone in mind that could us this card.

My second card is a bit brighter and I combined pieces of patterned paper from Bo Bunny's "Head Over Heels" 6" by 6" paper pad with some scraps.


Again I used a Mama Elephant Panda that I had on my desk to enhance the sentiment.


I actually think I like this card better then the first but I was not trying to use up scraps and chose the patterned paper to match better.


I used foam adhesive to pop up the sentiment strip and the little border of letters.

Well that is all from me tonight. I thank you for taking the time to stop by my blog. Comments are always welcome!! Have a fabulous night!!

Nora

Supplies:
Stamps-CAS-ual Fridays Stamps "Special Delivery," Mama Elephant "Happy Mail," and "Incoming Mail"
Paper-Bazzil Black Card Stock, PaperTrey Ink "Raspberry Fizz," Echo Park (checked and pink sentiment), Bo Bunny "Head Over Heels" Collection
Dies-Mama Elephant "Incoming Mail" and My Favorite Things "Die-namics Inside Out Diagonal Stitched Rectangle Stax"
Ink-Memento “Tuxedo Black”


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Sunday, March 12, 2017

Freshly Made Sketches #278 and Seize the Birthday Challenge "Anything Goes"

Hello everyone!! I hope everyone has been enjoying their Sunday!! Bitter cold here after a little snowstorm we had on Friday. Spent the day snuggled up inside the house, not doing much of anything.

Today I am going to show you a card that I created for the Freshly Made Sketches #278 Sketch and Seize the Birthday "Anything Goes." Once again I have been playing with my camera, trying to get better shots of my projects but all my experiments were bad. I wound up going with the darn light box again, and I need better lights!!


I know that this card is not exactly like the card but my card was inspired by it. My shape, aka balloons, are a little higher then I would have liked but it didn't work any lower. This is an example of what is in my head does not necessarily translate into reality.

Here is the Freshly Made Sketch that I used for this card:

 

I started off my card by cutting a blue scrap of pattern paper and adhering it to the card. I then created a background using CAS-ual Fridays Stamps "Shenanigans" stamp set, stamping in light gray on a white background. I knew I would be putting another sentiment over it so I didn't want the paper to be too overwhelming.


I added the paper over the blue and then adhered the little streamers that I had stamped and cut using PaperTrey Ink's "Birthday Style" stamp set. This set is as old as the hills but it worked for what I wanted it to do.


I die cut and blended the balloons, adhering them over some die cut strings. The sentiment is from CAS-ual Fridays Stamps "Frankly'isms" stamp and was stamped last.

I chose the colors to be more masculine in nature. I have a hard time making cards for men and wanted to do something a little more funny then cute.


On a more personal note, I had a really bad week. Payroll fell for a phishing scam and all my district's information is out there now. Some people filed tax returns, finding out that they already had been filed falsely. My husband did ours and ours were not. Probably because I would have owed if I filed myself!! Now I have an eagle eye watch on all things credit related and am just so frustrated. I really, really dislike people who steal on the web-and I really don't care the reason.

Also worried about budget cuts on our local, state and federal level. I find it so annoying that on a state level, that our government cannot make the cities be more fiscally responsible. We pay A LOT of property tax and it annoys me that I have to bail out cities like Hartford due to stupid financial decisions. I thought I was able to let go of some of the stuff I cannot control but budgets do effect whether I have a job or not so all this uncertainty gets to me after a while. I have been so grumpy and irritable the whole week and my stomach has started to hurt. Even working out has not helped me!!

Anyway, finally had a good cry yesterday and today I feel a bit better. I also did some color therapy, joining in the Thirty Day Coloring Challenge, which also helped.

Well that is all for me today. I will post the cards I create from the coloring sometime this week. Just have to get the mojo working!!

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and for reading this LONNNNGGGG post. I appreciate all your comments that you so generously make. Crafters ROCK!!

Nora

Supplies:
Stamps-CAS-ual Fridays Stamps “Shenanigans” and “Franklyisms,” PaperTrey Ink “Birthday Style
Dies-PaperTrey Ink “Birthday Style,” Lawn Fawn “Party Balloons
Ink-WPlus9 “Fairy Dust,” Simon Says Stamp “Island Blue,” Stampin Up! “Certainly Celery,” Ranger “Jet Black” Archival Ink
Paper-Recollections “White,” PaperTrey Ink “Select White,” Stampin Up! “Pistachio Pudding,” Bazzill Black


Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Fab Friday #107

Hello! I am here today with yet another card that I created this weekend. Again, I used stuff on my desk to layer together using the "Fab Friday" Sketch #107 as my inspiration.

I think I have said this before that I am having fun with sketches as of late because you can use any kind of product on them. I would love to do some color challenges but find them really...um, challenging.

I used Simon Says Stamps "Time for Wine" stamp and dies to create my card. I colored a bunch of these images in awhile ago and never used them. I don't know why I am obsessed with this set but I am. It is not like I send out wine cards that often. (I could, though. I have A LOT of friends who enjoy a nice bottle, oh I mean a glass of wine!!)


The sentiment is from PaperTrey Ink's "Fillable Frames #5." I have used this sentiment a ton because it just seems to go with everything!! I also stamped a matching envelope for this card. This is my new "thing!"


I used Glossy Accents and Spectrum Clear Sparkle Marker over these elements. The doily is a retired MFT die.

Here is the sketch I used:


This is one of those sketches I could have made a ton of cards from. I think I might duplicate this card with some purple wine images I have from my last color spree. (though it is purple and wine is not purple!)


Here is another angle of the card. I cannot tell you how much I love how this came out!!

Well, enough of me today. I thank you for taking the time to stop by. Comments are always welcome!!

Nora
Supplies:
Stamps-Simon Says Stamp! "Time for Wine," Paper Trey Ink "Fillable Frames #5"
Ink-Memeto "Tuxedo Black" and Tsukineko Delicata "Golden Glitz" Hero Arts "Soft Green"
Paper-Recolletions "Kraft," Neenah Solar White and Stampin Up! "Cool Cucumber"
Dies-Simon Says Stamp "Time for Wine" and MFT "Doily Duo" (retired)


Monday, March 6, 2017

CAS Colors and Sketches Challenge #212

Happy Monday!! I hope you are all having a start to a great week.

Today I have a quick card that I created for the CAS Colors and Sketches blog challenge #212. This is a new to me challenge and I decided to give it a try.

I had time to play around this weekend with things I had bought but never used. I seem to have a lot of this. Every time I say I am going on a no buying challenge I cannot stick to it because of all the cute stuff. I am really going to adhere to it, though, after this weekend. I have more then I will ever be able to use and I HATE to get rid of my craft stuff. (other stuff, yes, craft stuff no.)

So I FINALLY used my PaperTrey Ink "What The Doodle: Tea Time Die" and matching stamp set for this card.


I stamped the tea cup on Canson watercolor paper and heat embossed in white. I then used the dies to cut the cup out. I dusted off my Zig Clean Color Markers and used a brush to watercolor the teacup.


While it was drying, I die cut a pinked edged circle out of pink paper and a Spellbinders "Circle Delight" doily out of white card stock. I adhered it where the large circle was placed on the sketch.


I then added the tea cup for one of the circles and hearts for the other circle that I die cut out of a paper scrap using Simon Says Stamps "Large Holiday Shapes" dies.


I used a combination of a sentiment from the tea time set and My Favorite Things "Sending Hugs" die-namics for the sentiment. The last touch was to add Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Marker over the hearts and "hugs" sentiment, as well as a few sequins.

This was a simple card but I liked the way it came out. I used a pre-made card for the back, something I have a bunch of but never use. I decided I need to start digging them out instead of saving them for I don't know what!

I thank you for taking the time to stop by today. I hope you have a FABULOUS day!!

Nora


Supplies:
Stamps-PaperTrey Ink "What The Doodle: Tea Time"
Dies-PaperTrey Ink "What The Doodle: Tea Time Die," My Favorite Things "Sending Hugs" and "Pinked Edger Stack," (retired) Simon Says Stamp "Large Holiday Shapes, Spellbinders "Circle Delight"
Paper-Bazzill Gray and White, Neenah Solar White Card Stock, Canson, Echo Park "Dark Pink" from the Love Story Collection (hearts), 
Ink-PaperTrey Ink "Smokey Shadow," and Hero Arts "Unicorn White"
Other-Wagner Heat Gun, Zig Clean Brush Markers, Clear Sequins, Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle MarkerSizzix Big ShotScrapbook Adhesive FoamRanger Multi-MatteGlossy Accents

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Sunday, March 5, 2017

PTI Make It Monday #276 and Freshly Made Sketches #277

Hello everyone!! I hope you all are having a fabulous weekend. Cannot believe it is late Sunday afternoon. It sure goes by fast.

Charlotte and Chris were away at a robotic competition so I had the weekend to myself. I never mind the first day but two whole days in a row without anyone home I start to miss them. I think my dog does too because he wants constant attention!! It does not help that Chris was away on business this week so he didn't get any Daddy time.

Since I had a block of time yesterday, I made a bunch of cards. I will be sharing three with you today.

The first two are for PaperTrey Ink's "Make It Monday Challenge #276." Melissa Phillips challenged everyone to use colored pencils on kraft paper.

For my first card, I heat embossed PTI's "Botanical Blocks" with gold and used Prismacolor Pencils to color the image in.


I am going to apologize for my photos. They are quite dark and I could not get them any lighter. I need a better lighting system then I have right now. I actually took all the cards I made this weekend and photographed them in three different locations to see if I could get better lighting and wound up back with my light box!!

I layered the Kraft card stock over some "Lemon Tart Bitty Dot" (retired) patterned paper that I had die cut using PTI's "Basic Bookmark #3" die.


I wrapped a bit of jute around the top and then used Scrapbook Adhesive Foam to pop the panel up over an A2, top folding notecard that I had covered in Basic Grey patterned paper. I could not photograph the effect but my last step was cover the flower with Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle.

My second card I created for this challenge I used PTI's "Botanical Blocks II" stamp set. I actually like this card better then the first.


I started off in basically the same way by heat embossing with Ranger Gold embossing powder but then die cut the panel using the matching dies.


I stamped a sentiment from PTI's "Bitty Butterflies" set onto a top folding A2 card using Hero Arts "Lavender" ink. I then layered a gold panel in the middle of the card stock.


I finished the card off by using Scrapbook Adhesive Foam to adhere the Kraft panel over the gold. My last step was to cover the flower with Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Marker.

The last card I created I used Freshly Made Sketches #277 as my inspiration.


I started off by stamping Art Impression's "Celeste" stamp onto white card stock and coloring in with Copic Markers.


I enhanced the image by using Wink of Stella in "Clear" and "Gold," and covered the bracelet and the wine with Glossy Accents.


I die cut the panel using an MFT "Blueprint #13" die-namics and  layered the panel over an "Aqua Mist," A2, top folding card. I added the black embossed sentiment strip using foam adhesive.


The last touch was to add a few clear sequins. I also stamped the envelope (as well as the inside which I forgot to photograph) using Paper Smooches "Free Spirit" stamp set.

I had fun making all these cards this weekend. I want to thank you for stopping by today. Have a great night!!

Nora

Make it Monday Card #1
Supplies:
Stamp- PaperTrey Ink "Botanical Blocks"
Paper- Paper Studio "Kraft," PaperTrey Ink "Lemon Tart Bitty Dot," Basic Grey "Fiction" and PaperTrey Ink "Aqua Mist"
Dies-PaperTrey Ink "Basic Bookmark #3"

Make it Monday Card #2
Supplies:
Stamps-PaperTrey Ink "Botanical Blocks II" and "Bitty Butterflies"
Paper-Paper Studio "Kraft" and Stampin Up! "Pistachio Pudding," Tonic Studios "Metallic Mirrored Card Stock"
Ink-Delicata Golden Glitz and Hero Arts "Lavender
Dies-PaperTrey Ink "Botanical Blocks Basics Die" and MFT "Blueprints #13"

Freshly Made Sketches Card
Supplies:
Stamp-Art Impression "Celeste," Art Impressions "Wine Tasters" stamp set, Paper Smooches "Free Spirits"
Paper-PaperTrey Ink "Aqua Mist" and "True Black," Copic Mini Pack of Paper
Dies-My Favorite Things "Blueprints #13"
Other-Clear Sequins, Ranger Multi-Matte, Glossy Accents, Wink of Stella Clear and Gold markers, Ranger "White" Embossing Powder, Sizzix Big ShotWagner Heat GunScrapbook Adhesive Foam, Copic Markers


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