Create for a birthday, a birthday, and school

August---full of birthdays and then onto eeeek--"school".  The mere mention of it sends shivers down my spine.  But, I will acknowledge its upcoming presence by the end of  this post.  First, I just wanted to share a few quick cards with you that I made using the Polaroid frames from Unique Laser Designs.  Yes, you can use them to frame a photo, but look how cute they are on a card!

On this ice cream card, I colored the frame with a creamy metallic silver gelato.  The little hexagon is colored with a sparkly gel pen. Did you guess that the scoop of the ice cream is really a cloud? I'm so sneaky!  I colored that with a Copic marker and then swirled Stickles (rock candy)on to make it sparkle.

I know I showed you this card already, but I'm showing it again to remind you to join in the Scrap It Girl challenge for August---use an arrow or a # on your project.  More details are HERE.  

Hexagons are the theme for this card.  I dry embossed a hexagon pattern on the card and then added a Polaroid frame again---this time I used a paint marker to color it black. The small wood hexagons with the sentiments-- I rubbed on different ink pads, just like I did the cute bee (see below)---easy easy easy and quick! 

I used a Sharpie to color the black stripes on the bee and then covered it (really thick) with a layer of Stickles (rock candy again). It looks like a suncatcher--so crackly and sparkly at the same time.

Now, onto school. We are being extra creative with Back to School ideas on the Chicagoland Scrapbooker blog.  Something new every week during August.  My daughter is going to be in 5th grade and is SO excited to find out who her homeroom teacher will be.  To celebrate that first day of school, I used a Unique Laser Designs ATC card and made a chalkboard by painting on a few layers of chalkboard paint before adding some die-cut letters and leaving some room to write with chalk.  The soda stamp is from Unity and I stamped it with glue from the Rubber Cafe and then sprinkled on extra fine glitter.  Sparkly goodness!  A few strings of twine hot-glued onto the back and it's ready to hang around a soda bottle. Now, it's re-usable and her teacher can pass a message on and  be "soda-lighted" for someone else (for a birthday, a great test score, a travelling award around the classroom).

Hope you are "soda-lighted" with these projects that you are feeling inspired to celebrate a birthday, a birthday, and school!

The birthdays, I'm ready for!  School---not so much.

Enjoy these last few weeks of precious summer.

~Kelly

Create for a dad...

I know Father's Day was a few weeks ago and I am a bit slow in posting, but I just wanted to share the cards I made this year for my hubby and my dad.

Star Wars is kind of a big thing in our house since our last name is Starsky (Star-sky).  Darth Vader is a perfect messenger for this Father's Day greeting.  I printed out the Vader clip art and put it on lots of layers of patterned paper.  I added the greeting and a few simple stars from Unique Laser Designs (that I colored with a sparkle gel pen).

For this card, I made a "punny" for my Dad, who happens to be the king of puns.  I often call him "Pop", so this pop stamp from Unity makes an easy card.

So, maybe your dad's birthday is coming up or you want to get a leap on your cards for next Father's Day.

~Kelly

Create something new...

 

 

I was so busy being all "hearts" and "Valentine-y" last week, that I forgot to post my "ONE little WORD" for 2014.  As you might have guessed from the titles of my last two posts, my word is "CREATE".  I pondered many words and at first I thought I wanted something very powerful and full of strength (because Lord knows I need some power and strength lately), but I liked the versatility of "create" and what it means for myself, my feelings, and my art.

 

One of my first new adventures in 2014, is to join a Facebook group started by Kelly Hoernig, called "art aMUSEment".  It is a 52 week challenge to create a card (I'm using old math flashcards) following the prompt that we are given each week. I can't wait til Mondays to find out what each week's "word" is.  This last week, it was "artist", and I chose to imitate Georgia O'Keefe's art with a large flower and a quote from her.  The flower stamp is from Unity and I love it's simplicity and elegance.

 

 

 

 

The first week, our word prompt was "box".  I found this kind of tough, because I just kept thinking of box in the literal sense of the word.  I couldn't think "outside the box"! HA!  HA! HA!  I ended up playing with my new favorite DCWV stack--Burlap Stack.  It's a 6x6 pad of paper-backed burlap and I think it is AWESOME!  So, I decided to stick with my literal translation of "box" and had a party in a box.  Pretty simple for the first week, but hey--I was easing into this weekly challenge.

 

 

The second week word prompt was "STAMP".  I stamped a stamp and used a Fiskars postage stamp  to cut and pop it up after I heat embossed with some sparkly black embossing powder.  This would be a perfect start to a Valentine, but I'm keeping all of these art aMUSEment cards together and want to make a mini-book or slide them all onto a large ring.

 

 

Stay tuned...more cards will be coming up...at least one each week.  Unless I get behind and have to start lumping them together.  But, it's early in 2014 and I am thinking positive that I will be able to maintain a timely schedule. 

 

Have you started something new in 2014?  Do you have a "one little word" to motivate and inspire you?  Please share!

 

~Kelly

 

Be meditative...

 

Often, I find it very difficult to clear my head.  I claim that my daughter is a "worry wart", but I think she gets it from me. 

 

I am not one to do yoga, but I do find a long walk can be helpful.  But, losing my head in a good project is the best way to distract me.  It is my meditation. 

 

Last week, Unity had a Facebook contest.  We were given this image to color any way we wanted.  For some reason, I was drawn to Zentangle it.  There were some AMAZING entries.  Mine didn't make it to the finals, but it did help to clear my head.

~Kelly

Don't forget to head over to the LinnieBlooms Facebook page and keep playing "I Spy" all month long!  There is a fabulous prize package for the winner!

Be red, white, and blue

We are just going to skip right over the fact that I have been neglecting my blog. I know it. You know it. There. We are done talking about it.

It is a new month. And that new month is July, so we need to start off the month with RED, WHITE, and BLUE.  July is a month dedicated to those who have so bravely dedicated their lives to our country so that we may all experience freedom.  If you ask me, every day should be dedicated to them.

 

 

RED, WHITE, and BLUE is the challenge of the month over at Scrap It Girl. I found this simple wood divided frame at Michaels, and thought it would be perfect to make something for my home. I painted it white and then randomly distressed it with some ink and paint in a gray/blue color. 

 

In one square, I placed a ATC that I had made a long time ago...it was just sitting in a container with other ATCs collecting dust, so perfect to use it now (one less square to think about). For the upper right square, I rolled paper around a marker, sealed it with hot glue, and gently slid it off the marker to make these rolls.  I love the dimension they add.  The banner is made with Unity banner stamps-I distressed the edges and glued them onto a lace strips to hang. 

On another square, I used assorted buttons (I layered felt underneath so the buttons wouldn't be set in so deep). Another square is filled with patriotic pinwheels. In this big square above, I stamped a background using a chevron image and then painted or inked, or papered some flat wooden stars. The bottom right square is filled with flowers, some made and some bought. A red or blue bling dot in the middle of each is a simple addition.

 

Please play along with Scrap It Girl this month...we want to see you get your red, white, and blue on!

~Kelly

 

 

Be clever...

 One image stamp (with a sentiment, both from Unity).

One background stamp (from Stampin' Up).

One design (from me).

Four different cards.

Sometimes, having limited time to create

means that you have to be clever. 

Efficient.   Creative.  Versatile. 

This Unity Stamp set is clever.  And perfect for quickly creating some masculine cards quickly (did I mention I needed some cards quickly?).  By changing the direction of the sentiment, the layering of the image and the photo corners, and "popping up" different 

elements, I took one simple design and created 4 different looks. 

Clever.  Efficient.

  Creative.  Versatile.

Desperate.

Go take a peak at Unity's Friends with Flair Friday--- there are lots of clever creations to be inspired by.

~Kelly

 

whatever is orange...

                

Yes, I like orange sherbet.  Yes, I have been known to eat a Dreamsicle or two.  I'm a fan of orange juice.  But orange just used to be another color to me.  Something changed in 2009.  I found the Fiskateers.  Fiskateers is an online site full of challenges, inspiration, sneak peaks, leaders, and friends.  We all share an admiration for the Fiskars company (think orange-handled scissors) and all of their crafty tools and stamps.  Once I joined this site, I found "virtual" friends who had a passion for paper and crafting that my "real" friends can't understand.  I have met amazing people through this site and have seen my creativity grow ten-fold.  I've entered a whole new world and learned a lot about myself.  I follow lots of blogs and sites, but Fiskateers has a special place in my heart.  Click here if you'd like to join or learn more about Fiskateers.

Ok, enough gushing.

This week, Lead Fiskateer Tami is hosting a Spring Stamp Out...just another chance to inspire each other and get our fingers inky.

This layout was for a challenge, "Orange goes with Everything".  I discovered that orange DOESN'T go with everything and have declared orange and gray a DUD color combo.

This card was for the "Wallflower" challenge (stamp some spring flowers and use them in a layout or card).  Somewhere along the way, I got lost and this flower (a Close to My Heart stamp) definitely has more of an autumn feel to it.  Oh well.

But, I learned an important tip...Glossy Accents does not dry faster with a heat gun--it just boils.  Hence, the brown embossed dot covering the center of the flower (oh year, I meant to do that).

And these cute chicks below are for the challenge asking us to use "vibrant" colors...I guess I took vibrant to mean "BRIGHT".  These are some cute chicks (a Unity stamp).

So hopefully you have now been distracted enough by all of these projects to ignore the fact that I've been slacking a bit in the blog department.  I knew I was in trouble when I managed to get posts up 4 days in a row back in April...it's been all downhill since then.

~ Kelly

whatever means a party

Just to clarify from the start,
THERE IS NOT A PARTY AT OUR HOUSE!
Repeat...THERE IS NOT A PARTY AT OUR HOUSE!

I made this card for a challenge and knew that I had this cute Unity house stamp...it just made me think of a party. 

Repeat...THERE IS NOT A PARTY AT OUR HOUSE!

I colored this house "funky" with my Copic markers and used another Unity stamp (argyle pattern) with white ink for the background.

One last time...THERE IS NOT A PARTY AT OUR HOUSE!

However, when there is a party at our house, I already have an invite ready, and I will be sure to let you know.

Oh, and if you are looking for my house, it's not really neon blue and green.

~kelly

whatever is resourceful...

Strawberries are sweet and around our house we can't wait for strawberry pickin'-time!  Until then, we'll just have to be satisifed creating cards with strawberries on them.  This sweet stamp and the sentiment are from Unity.

But, hidden in the background, beneath the lace and ribbon is my homemade attempt at "washi" tape.  I have seen some really fabulous patterns on washi tape, tissue tape, whatever you want to call it, but I have not felt "called" to buy some.  I wanted to try and be "resourceful" and create my own (and to see what all the excitement is about). 

So, I adhered a strip of  Duck brand painters tape (it's thinner than masking tape and I found it in a clearance spot at Target) to a strip of parchment paper. I stamped a repeating pattern using this small Hero Arts stamp and black StazOn ink.  The ink dried quickly and did not smudge off, even on this tape which has a slight sheen to it.

I used the tape to adhere the large, black, scalloped circle onto the base of my card.  I'll admit, there is a benefit to the self-stick characteristic of the tape.  I like the different texture it gives to the card too.  I rolled up the leftovers (still on the parchment paper) and can save it for another project.  I have not investigated if this tape is acid-free, so I don't advise using it on your precious scrapbook layouts, but it is a fun change as a card embellishment.

I'll give this tape trial a thumbs up--

I think I'm going to experiment with different inks and patterns. 

Stay tuned for the GREAT HOME-MADE WASHI TAPE EXPERIMENT Part 2, coming soon to a blog near you.

~Kelly