I’m Back!

I’ve been away for over a year. Life got busy, the computer crashed and well I forgot! Then I started getting notifications of new followers so it was decided for me. Time to get busy! Thank goodness there’s an app and I can post from my phone.

I’ve been playing ALOT with altered Rolodex cards. Also known as Memorydex cards but the dies and punches have been discontinued by the manufacturer so I’m going back to Rolodex I think. But as you can see, I love Unity Stamps. Every image you see here is by Unity Stamp Company. Thank you for following. I’ll try harder to post weekly… there’s a lot of creativity to share and post!

Chuggin Along

Just a quickie today.  Once I started creating these pages, they were almost finishing themselves!  This is the last spread for the album for mom.  It was fun bashing my stash and quite satisfying finding so many lines that “meshed” well with one another.  I used up nearly an entire 12×12 pad of Crate Paper and found paper scraps by MME, BoBunny and KaiserCraft that worked well!

Other fun bits and pieces are by 7Gypsies and Tim Holtz.  I can’t think of a single project that I don’t use one of these products on!  I even used the little “paper tags” on the edge of 12×12 sheets.

Since I’m “bashing” page protectors by Simple Stories ( I had hoped they’d fit in another product line… NOPE) I went and purchased their coordinating album.  Mom’s is in Navy Blue to match Erin’s school colors.  These albums have loads of room and come with a set of page protectors as well.  So, I have a little stash of photo’s I’ve been setting aside for mom (I’m so channeling her!) they’re now being popped into the back of this album.  (it even came with page dividers!) She’ll get a spread for each year Erin marched, her Senior prom pic and a few favorite candid shots from her senior year.   THEN I’ll call it quits and get this mailed!

Thank for popping by!

Where’s my groove?

I’ve been gone awhile.  Don’t have any reason why.  Not sure if folks read this or not.  Admittingly this is my own gallery of self indulgence.  But I like to share, so here are some of my latest.  Recently joined a group on Facebook called Bash Your Scrapbook Stash.  It’s a closed group, but if you’re sincerely interested in getting creative and using what you have, drop me a line.  I’ll “invite” you to the group.  There are weekly challenges and prompts if you need incentive to create or a push.  And the ladies are really supportive and nice.

I’ve set my own “Bash” challenge for myself.  GET the photo’s that are already printed and stashed into an album.  I’ve noticed after cleaning and organizing my studio, there were totes, envelopes and bins with photos.  Pretty sure these were pulled out to work on at crops and retreats.  But those days are back in Texas, and my cropping is done here at home these days.  These are a few of the band pictures I have printed.  They’re from Erin’s freshman year in highschool…. yeah I’m “behind”.

These pictures I printed with the intention of putting them in my mother in laws thank you card.  But sadly, she’s coping with Alzheimer’s.  She has good days and bad days.  Some days she remembers each and every single grandchild, their name, age, school grade.. other days not so much.  On the day of Erin’s graduation/open house, Betsy found a large scrap of my scrapbook paper and intended to start taking notes, so she could remember the day.  She also jotted down family address’s.  This is where fellow scrappers suck in their breath in horror (hee hee, scrapbook paper for note paper!)  Alas, I know she will misplace that paper.  So she’s getting this simple mini album from the day.  It will have the “facts” and simple journaling.  And I need to get it done pronto quick!  This is where that *bash* group is coming in handy.

I’m making pretty good time.  My sister in laws have the hard job of daily living with Betsy.  They take such good care of Betsy, making sure she has outings, taking care of her meds/over all health and keeping her busy.  In the mean time, I’m making a concentrated effort to make sure these special memories get documented for her to enjoy at home.  So no more chatter.  I have work to do!

Back in the groove

I’ve been away from scrapbooking too long.  Things have “settled” in the studio, most everything has a home, all the boxes have been opened and the contents rediscovered.  It’s time to get busy.  This little girl is a senior and there are four years of band pictures to get into albums.  Being a band mom, there are LOADS of pics!!  So we’re starting at the beginning, going traditional and throwing in some new techniques to get the process rolling.  When I say a “lot” of pictures…an example would be over 150+ for an eight minute routine.  Add in pics from the stands, practices and pep rallys…AND competitions, parades and showcases… LOTS!  I won’t bore folks with every single layout but here’s the first two pages of E’s Band photo album.. (too many to include in her high school album.)

I haven’t truly cropped for about two years, so I haven’t yet warmed up.  In a sense, I’m relearning the craft.  Should be fun seeing what I come up with, what inspires me and what challenges push me to create these pages for my dd.  Thanks for popping by!

FINITO!!!! FINISHED!!!! DONE!!!

It’s finally finished!  This little project became addicting.. I didn’t want to stop.  I kept opening boxes, drawers and storage looking for trinkets and broken bits to add to it. 

Some of these bits are from my scrap booking stash, but others are broken brooches, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces.  Others are little treasures my children and friends children brought to me.  For example the double row of rhinestones is a bracelet that my girlfriends three daughters found and HAD to get for Miss Shaunery.  It reminds me of the friends and “family” we made while stationed in Maine. 

Other pieces are the rhinestones from a broken brooch.  When my daughter did pee wee cheer, I often wore a large brim hat to protect me from the Texas sun.  I also decorated the hate with a hat band in school colors and extra cheer mom bling!  Sadly the jewelry didn’t hold up long but I held on to the bits.

Other pieces are just new or random but they give me joy.  Like the trim around the bottom.  Simple metal “ribbon” from my local Hobby Lobby store back in Texas.  It’s been distressed and aged but glad I held onto that little hoard. This was such fun to make.  I’m now eyeing a bigger mannequin form at Hobby Lobby.  I’m thinking of ways to pad the entire form, cover with fabric and to be able to pin and unpin my favorite brooches.  Well, we’ll see what happens.  Thanks for sharing this journey with me.  It’s been fun to make and share!

It’s All About Accessories

We are in the home stretch!  Found some more junky goodness in my mess, ‘er stash!!  Valuable lesson learned, put the cap on!  I managed to knock over my beloved bronze distress paint and nearly depleted the entire bottle!!  But it’s on my shopping list so I won’t forget!

This is a vintage button that I LOVE and been hoarding, waiting for the perfect project to add it to.  It has a shank that is way too heavy to clip off, so I packed the negative space with some “snot dots”.  Okay they’re better known as  therm-o-web Zots.  I used the dimensional (pop up) dots.  Then I pushed the button down hard onto the figure and quickly pulled it back off.  It left an indention where the shank hit, so I used my X-acto blade and made a small hole.  After that, I applied liquid glue around the dots and on the shank and popped the button into place.  (Yup, used those fancy rubber bands to hold it in place while drying.)  Some of these little do-dads & rhinestones were brads so I took my little clippers and snipped the back off for easier application!

I think I’m near finished!!!  I’ll probably dick around with it a little more, tweaking here and there but for the most part it’s done!  Last step is to mount it to my “vintage” candle stick holder and find it a home in my studio!  This has been fun.  Thanks for following this journey.  Next time, the finished project!  🙂

Gearing UP

The madness continues.  As I said I’m currently clearing, purging, sorting and organizing my studio.  So as things dry and set up, I’m tearing into storage, bins, and getting things put away properly.  One of the many things popping up is button cards, random notions, random chipboard and like items.  Why?  Because at the end of every class, every crop and every retreat, we have to pack up.  And it’s the END so we tend to get lazy and just start scooping up our gear and getting it into our vehicles.  So down in the bottom of my tool bag, is STUFF.  The neat and tidy gear that arrived to the event is no more!  The end result is I’m finding some little treasures to use on my mannequin.

Something I learned about the laser cut chipboard, if you’re able, peel a layer off.  After painting and prepping it, you’ll find it will shape better on your 3D projects.  I learned too late, so I’m taking advantage of it’s thickness by tucking other items in close.

Adhesive is another thing I learned.  Use GREAT adhesive, and step away and let it dry before moving on to the next item.  You’re gonna bump it off, it will slide due to gravity, some objects are heavy and the weight will work against you.  Rubber bands are an awesome tool in this case.

Don’t forget the back of the piece you’re working on.  Right now it’s a little bare but I found some little do-dad’s that I need to prep before I adhere them.  I’m also gonna check out my jewelry box for some broken bits and pieces.  The rhinestone touches really make me happy.  So, it needs more rhinestones!  No, I still haven’t cut the chipboard for the base.  I’ve decided I want to trim out the base a little, so now I’m digging and searching from some corrugated cardboard so there’s an edge to adhere to.  That’s all for today.  Time for some domestic engineering.  Again, thank you for stopping by!

Patina Practice

The experimentation continues.  Recently picked up some cool new products by Pentart.  A rust effect powder, a gold patina effect powder and three of their reagent liquids that create the different patinas.  I originally applied the rust effect powder to the mannequin while my Glue n Seal was wet.  Once it dried completely I brushed some of the reagent liquid on.  Nothing happened.  Did some research, and it appears I picked up the wrong set of reagent liquids.  Turns out there are several sets, one for the rust, one for gold and such.  I went back grabbed some gold patina powder and educated myself some more.

Turns out I needed some gesso as a base for my powders.  Well phooey, I didn’t really want to cover up all the TH tissue paper.  What would happen if I dry brushed some gesso on?  I dry brushed some gesso on and then with a blush brush, applied some of the gold pigment powder.  Hmmmm looking better. I allowed it all to dry again.  In the mean time, I grabbed some manila tags, prepped each with gesso, then each of the powders.  One in rust, the other in gold.  Once they dried, I applied the reagents on them.  Nothing appeared to happen.  Well what am I doing wrong?  Re-read directions and decided I should “drizzle” the liquid directly onto my mannequin and skip the brush.

Nothing seemed to “happen” after it all dried.  Still didn’t quite have the effect I was seeking so, I busted out my Perfect Pearls, in bronze, mint, patina and copper.  I squirted more reagents on and then brushed my pearls on.  I like how they stuck to the wet streams of reagent.  It’s time to walk away, let everything set up and cure.  I’ll come back and create a chipboard base to adhere the mannequin to the candle holder.  Then move onto the embellishment phase.

Thanks for stopping by!  Thank you for all your kind words and encouragement.  Now go play, get messy and create.  If it makes you happy, you’ve done well!!

Experiment time!

I’ve been going thru another purge in my little studio.  Still opening boxes from the move, discovering lost projects and goodies for “intended” projects.  You know the ones, sitting in the back of your head, a nugget of an idea, a spark of creativity waiting to ignite.

Not sure where this will go but I’ve held onto this little dress form for too long.  It’s time do something with it!  So for now, it’s been coated with Rangers Glue n Seal, and wrapped in Tim Holtz Idea-ology Tissue wrap – Melange.  It needs to dry.  For any crafter they know, this is the hard part!  Stepping away, let it dry, let it cure.  In the meantime ideas are percolating.. ideas of rust, patinas, rhinestones..old broken loved brooches perhaps?  Not sure.  But for now, stepping away and letting it dry.

Tag you’re it…

Okay I’m back on a roll.  This week’s challenge at Unity is a quick and easy tag. You can view the video how-to on the group page on Facebook.  I love tags, and if you know me, you knew that!  So here’s my take on the tag.  Supplies used: Ranger tag, Distress Inks (Twisted Citron, Peacock Feathers) Unity stamps (I’m sorry, I don’t know the name of this particular Angie Girl, I received her in a grab bag) washi and some bling.

The point was to grab up a scrap piece of paper and one of your large punches to create your own stencil.  I don’t have any jumbo punches, so I opted for a Spellbinders die.  This is one of the diamonds.  This is fun, quick and easy.  Don’t over think it!!  I say that outta love and experience.  (And the first crap attempt sitting on my desk, I was playing with some Canvas Corp tags.. still attempting to salvage it)

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful day.