whatever is saved...

Once again I am guilty of not being able to part with a piece of paper.  The problems are:

• I only have one sheet of this paper left
• It is double sided, and I LOVE both sides
• I only have ONE sheet of this paper left

Now, you may think, "Why doesnt' she just go buy more of that paper?".  You see, I'm trying to be a good girl and use my stash. 

So, what is one to do?  This one, that's me, decided to try and re-create the pattern of the paper with paint.  You can see the original here, on the Authentique website.  It's called "Friendship" from the "Genuine" line.  You may remember that this is the line  that I wanted to wallpaper my house in (seen here).  While I do LOVE the chevron side, it's the B side that I wanted to re-create for my layout seen above.  It was just the right shade of blue to complement the gym floor in the photo.  It's sort of a wispy denim.  Oooh, that could be a new Crayola crayon color! 

So, I started with navy blue cardstock and poured some "denim" acrylic paint onto the paper.  And, I do mean poured, the cap came flying off!  I add some dark blue paint, then some white.  I was messy and careless.  It was wonderful!  I swiped the paint around with a paper towel and a dry paint brush, and then dabbed with the paper towel again.  I made the paper a little too wet with paint, but the sun is a natural dryer, so I set it out on the porch for awhile.  With some volleyball paper, alpha stickers, and a volleyball die-cut...the layout "Volleyball, Brownies, and an Eagle" was complete.


So, my precious paper is saved for another day. 
So much for using my stash.

~Kelly

whatever is a challenge...

Since I will never be an Olympic athlete (I feel pretty secure in saying that it will NEVER happen), the next best thing is...participating in the Fiskateer games!

This week has been the Card Making Challenge and for me, 3 out of 4 ain't bad.  Now are you singing that old Meatloaf song?


Challenge #1: Make a "window" in your card.  I used an old Sizzix fence die and punched two different size flowers with an EK Success punch--with some pearl centers, you can peek through the window and into a virtual flower garden.  It says "a bunch" on the inside.  "Thanks a bunch!".  I'm kind of addicted to these handy Cosmo Cricket alpha stickers--I have them in 4 different colors (so far).  Not much room to write on the inside with this design, but I can always use the back.

Challenge #2 is to make a card with a decorative edge--this one has 6 decorative edges(from a Fiskars border punch)!  And, since I don't "tweet", I thought this would be a good way to compensate.

Challenge #3  had me making shaped cards.  I used an old Sizzix die to cut the paper on the fold.  I stamped the petals' patterns and the sentiment with some stamps from Close to My Heart (the "Just for You" set).  I used Fiskars squeeze punches for the centers and the leaves.  (And yes, you can see my still wet Glossy Accents on the orange one.  I stuck my finger in it while it was still wet and had to re-apply).

 I  neglected yard work (again) just to participate in my kind of "Olympics".  What have you been neglecting lately to get your crafty time?

~Kelly

whatever is a trend...

In the July issue of Scrapstreet, Smitha Katti asked us to be inspired by the chevron image seen here.   With patterned paper from a 6x6 Kaisercraft pad cut into rectangles and arranged in a zig-zag chevron pattern, this upcycled kraft gift bag transforms from drab to fab.  I added some rosettes created from strips of paper cut with Fiskars border punches, a lacy flower (lace color created by swiping lace with Distress Stain and water mix), and some pearl and button centers. 

Even if the gift inside is just "a little something", the bag is a gift in itself, don't you think?

~Kelly

whatever is an experiment...

Longing for my days doing experiments in the college chemistry lab (NOT), I decided to do a little experiment with distress stains.  Using my non-stick craft sheet from Ranger, Tim Holtz Distress Stain (Tumbled Glass),  5 manilla tags,   1 sheet of photo paper, and some water, I set out to find out what is my favorite method for getting a watercolor effect.

Experiment #1:

-wipe distress stain on the mat

-spritz stain and mat with water

-also spritz the paper with water

-slide paper over the mat

Result: very pale coloring, because the paper is manilla, this one has almost a yellow/green tinge to its aqua color

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Experiment #2:

-wipe distress stain on the mat

-spritz just the paper with water

-slide paper over the mat

Result: a mottled, imperfect soft water color effect, pretty





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Experiment #3:

-wipe distress stain over the paper
-spritz water on the paper
Result: Slightly more intense color than #2, but doesn't have the mottled effect, less variance in shades over the card, but still pretty

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 Experiment #4:
-wipe distress stain on the mat
-spritz mat with water
-wipe glossy sheet of photo paper over the mat
Result: splotchy swipes and dots of color, color more true to the stain color since paper base is white (versus manilla) (must have had a little bit of leftover green on the mat--oops)

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Experiment #5:

-wipe the whole tag with stain
-Starting 3/4" inch from the top, wipe this bottom part of the  tag again with stain
-Keep repeating the process moving down 3/4" inch after each layer
Result: an ombre effect that is very "in" right now.  However, the bottom part of the tag (the part that recieved the most "swipes" was starting to pill and disintegrate)

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Experiment #6:

-wipe distress stain on the mat

-spritz mat with water

-wipe manilla tag over the mat

Result: similar mottled effect to #2, but without the swipe lines

So, do I have a favorite?  No, I like them all!  It's helpful to see what effect each method produces though.  Using Fiskars circle and cloud squeeze punches, Sizzix embossing plates, ribbon scraps, some twine, and a cute printed sentiment,  I turned these experiments into tags--perfect for attaching a gift card to the back. I like experiments.  Not enough to go back to college chemistry though. 

So, did you see my submission call for watercolor projects in the July issue of Scrapstreet ?  You can check it out here. 

No matter what method you use to achieve a watercolor effect (paint, stain, mists, watercolors, or something else), I'd love to see it!  The deadline is August 19th.

~Kelly

whatever gets in the way...

Just 2 quick pics to let you know that I'm still here, but have been busy doing a kitchen makeover.  Painting the cabinets-going from sage green to Kermit the Frog green (but I do LOVE it), painting the trim black, and the walls will be a light khaki.  Finally cool enough to paint and have the windows open.  That doesn't leave much time for crafty endeavors, but  it's crafty in its own way.  Back tomorrow with "real" crafty stuff.

whatever is carried...

What is one to do when she doesn't have anything fashionable to wear?  How about making a very chic' card to compensate?

Just wanted to share this versatile stamp with you from www.toomuchfunrubberstamps.com.  Just stamp the image twice on a piece of paper (bottoms together as seen in the pic below).

Cut the image out (as one piece) and fold between the two bottoms.  Then, the fun begins!  It's time to decorate your purse!

I used embroidery floss and hand stitched on the stamped stitches.  Then I added some ribbon trims, a chipboard mini-tag (attached with beads), and some felt, layered flowers with bead centers. 

                     

Making these cards is rather addicting...but, then aren't all crafts? 

This would be so cute as a beach bag (with a towel sticking out), or a knitting bag (with needles and yarn sticking out), or, or...oh, I'm getting carried away! 

My daughter has been stamping this image on piles of patterned paper to get ready to have her friends over for a card making party.  This is one, I'm sure the girls will flip over (and me too)!

~Kelly

whatever is read...

Last month's issue of Scrapstreet, had my article, Graffiti (you can see it here), using book jacket art as inspiration. I used a children's book by Dr. Seuss, My Many Colored Days, as a spring-board for my page. There is LOTS of texture on these colored squares and subtle pattern changes in the black background.  One of my favorite things--the filled holes in the letters of the title--is something I lifted directly from the book cover.  If you haven't read this book, check it out...it's a non-traditional Dr. Seuss book in that it doesn't rhyme.  It uses color to describe our changing moods--a great book to let kids know that it's ok to have and feel all of these different emotions.

This page is a hodge-podge of pictures, all of them capturing my very silly little girl in just a few of her silly moments, and believe me, there are a lot of them (Statue of Liberty jumps, ballet shoes at breakfast, the "I just won a medal in the Olympics" face, endless dance routines complete with costumes, wigs, and giggle fits, wearing a babuszka, proud of her 21 mosquito bites, daily documentation of family happenings on the dry erase board, saying good-bye to her beloved doll on her way to school, and more silly dance routines-this time she goes Hawaiian).  

Sometimes, it's easy to get caught up in capturing events, so I need to remind myself to do a page (or two) that captures my childrens' personalities.  And this girl, she is silly.  Way silly.

~Kelly