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05 February 2012

Spicy Supply Challenge-Ribbon Valentine's Day

I love to send cards to people I card about.  I guess the tradition started with Valentine's cards in Elementary school.  I remember getting the cards at school and just glancing at them, but then when I got home..I would go through them one by one.  Looking at who gave me which one.  To me I felt like the sentiment on the card was directly meant for me by the sender.  I realize now that probably my classmates most likely slapped their name on a card just to get it done.  




Fast forward 30 years later, I am making my own Valentine's Day cards.  These were inspired by a challenge on one of my favorite websites Gingersnap Creations.  The challenge was to use ribbon on your project.  I decided to use ribbon in every way that I could think of using one sheet of 12x12 black Bazzil paper, one 8.5x11 open stock from Hobby Lobby pink paper and the rest of the papers/embellishments were from my scrapbin.  This includes the ribbons.  These ribbons were used previously in a project and I hated to throw away the leftovers.  



I have no idea who made the rub ons, I have had them for years, but the stamp featured on the giggle card is an inkadinkadoo stamp.  All the rosettes were made by me using my incredible Martha Stewart scoring board.  That thing was so worth the $20 I spent on it.  

Colored pencils used were all Prisma Watercolors, all ink was made by the one and only Tim Holtz.  








29 January 2012

Thinking of you...


 I decided to make 2 more cards with this weeks CR84FN challenge colors.  One was so I could use my brand new Technique Tuesday harlequin stamp.  I also had this great piece of scrap paper with a red vine on a pink background.  The red is flocked and so awesome.  I could not part with it, but had no idea what to do with it.  This was perfect.  I paired it with a tile from Technique Tuesday, a thinking of you sticker and a Tim Holtz fragment.  Everything else on this card came from my scrapbin.  I just love it when I get my money's worth!!!



The second card was for the Mojo Monday challenge. I love color blocking and thought this one would be perfect.  It has a steampunk vibe, but a simple version.  I used stamps from Hampton Arts (the large gears, key and key hole) and Technique Tuesday (complex gears and phrase).  All pieces of paper came from my scrapbin.



Pretty in Pink (Light Blue and Red too)


I just have to say first hand, I LOVE THIS COLOR SCHEME!  Oh, yes, these colors make me very happy inside.  When I am happy I cannot but make things that make me happy.  Today's cards do just that.  One is a generic card to say HELLO!!  I wanted to use these beads that I had in the colors of red, blue and white...so I got me some silver wire, strung some up and then had to figure out how to use them on my card.  Everything that I used to day was stuff from my scrapbin.  This is full of stuff that I either had left from another project or stuff I had salvaged from another object.  The ring that holds the ribbon used to be on a key ring.  I just loved it so I cut it off the key ring.  The chipboard is from an old card kit I got years ago, and I just didn't use this piece.  













 I liked the scheme so much I decided to make a tag for a friend of mine.  She is a special lady about to celebrate her 40th birthday.  The items here are also from my bin.  The tissue flower is a piece of tissue that came in a gift. I stamped it and spritzed it with some of my inks and then fashioned it into a flower (using Tim Holtz's flower from tissue technique).  The chipboard and harlequin stamp are from Technique Tuesday, the jewelry is from a kids necklace and the girl stamp is from Hot off the Press and I wish I knew where the priceless stamp was made. I bought it at a yard sale. 


Since the tag was made in layers, I wanted to use it for a challenge on layers. I love layers so I HAD to do this challenge.  And the color scheme is perfect for a layering challenge.


Thanks to both CR84FN and Crazy 4 Challenges for keeping us all fresh and on our toes. I for one LOVE what you do for all of us crafters!  


My Mind's Eye Card Challenge


This was fun as well...again I got to use my favorite paper in the world wide world. Actually these are the scraps from my large layout, you can't throw away any Bohemia paper. Get my look: All patterned paper is Bohemia by My Mind's Eye Green paper is recollections from Michael's Punch is by Stamping UP!! Black pen by Sharpie Pink paper by Bazzill Glue by Scotch Lyrics by Lennon and McCartney Thanks for letting me play.

22 January 2012

For the Birds (week 2 CR84FN)

I needed to do this challenge one more time, why?  Because I need to learn to use YELLOW more.  People like yellow, yellow makes them happy. I need to overcome my hatred and please others.  This layout was inspired by all of the birds that I saw at the St. Louis Zoo in 2011.  The birds in the 1904 bird cage were very thrilling to watch.  I was watching  the white one and thinking about a NOVA show that I watched once on the birds of the Everglades and how some were almost extinct because they were hunted and killed so their feathers could adorn ladies hats.  The feathers were so lovely, that I could imagine why they were sought in the 1930's.  I even had to do a close up of the wispy feathers.

To go with my birds, I painted some of my favorite birds from the day at the zoo.  I painted that white bird (I have no idea what he is), the flamingo (whom I love to view) and the wonderful little owl.




All of the patterned paper used is Creative Memories (sold to me by Kim Davidson), and the pink paper is Bazzil brought from Archiver's.  The dock was made and painted by me, from brown scraps that I keep in my bin.  The birds were also painted on scraps.  I notice now that I did not draw the white birds neck long enough, but I am NOT redoing it.  Maybe his short neck gives him character.   

Have a great week, can't wait for CR84FN next week...I have my fingers crossed for something PURPLE!!!


20 January 2012

Weather and the SS Princess Sophia

This latest ship sinking takes me back to yet another sinking that I like to read about.  I remember the first time I heard about the SS Princess Sophia.  I was on my first sailing to Alaska (very close to where the ship sank).

Our lecturer (this was a lecture on the Alaskan Inside Passage and moments in its history) was mentioning that this was one of the greatest disasters, but of course, it is overshadowed by the Titanic.

This great ship ran aground between Skagway and Juneau in the most beautiful waters along the Lynn Canal (which is actually the deepest fjord in North America---and simply gorgeous).  It had just a little less than 350 people on board.  Weather played a MASSIVE part in the story of Princess Sophia. The weather may be the major cause of the ships doom.  The weather in Alaska is wild and unpredictable.  I have experienced that first hand, but we had modern equipment.  The ships mentioned in this terrible story had none of that, just their basic Alaskan weather history and their brains.

I am not going to type the story for you, you need to google it or click on the links I have provided.  I am just going to show you some pictures that I saved after I got home from that Alaskan cruise in 2008.  I just found them on the internet.
























And if you want to purchase a book about the sinking:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/739967.The_Sinking_of_the_Princess_Sophia

15 January 2012

Dreaming I could use Yellow



I am not really a fan of yellow, so it is very hard for me to be creative with a color that I do not like.  I thought that I would use the colors to make a LOVE card and maybe a generic card.  Can you ever really have enough generic cards to give away?

I used Hampton Arts stamps on the LOVE card, also a bunch of things from my bin of stuff I don't use anymore.  I thought I would never use the heart rub ons.


The Journey card is my favorite of the two.  The Journey stamp is from Technique Tuesday, oh wait the flower stamp is too.  The flowers on the card are painted with watercolor pencils and the flowers on the yellow "ribbon" are done with watercolor crayons.  I actually made those at the Technique Tuesday class at CKC.


The RMS Titanic











This is a story that has been told many times. It is one that you will probably hear about a lot again this year.  April 15, 2012, marks the 100th anniversary of the Titanic.  711 people were saved and over 1500 perished in this massive sea disaster. It is a story worth repeating

The what-ifs have been told over and over.  The story has been glorified in a fantastic movie, but all in all many people died because of mistakes. Mistakes that can never be corrected.  100 years later then Titanic still stands out as a marvel of a ship and a very sad sailing. 

The Titanic started my love of big cruise ship liners. I remember the first time that I read “A Night to Remember”.  I was mesmerized by the story, taken aback by the loss of life, and wishing I could find the wreckage.  I remember September 1, 1985, well.  Tom Brokaw announced on the news that Dr. Bob Ballard found the ship.  And then new details of that fateful night April 15, 1912, began to emerge.  The stern and bow were in separate pieces and facing away from each other,  there was a large debris field lying on the bottom of the ocean and then got some insight on exactly why the ship sank. 

If you are not a Titanic person, you may get tired of the news. I expect there will be many events commemorating the ship.  I know there will be a celebration in Belfast, the Titanic movie will be re-released, and some ship is sailing the course was taken and the course that should have been sailed.  If you can check out one of the Titanic museums they are a wealth of knowledge, and very interesting.

 
I have made this layout for the 100 anniversary.  I am sure this is just my first of many.  This one is pretty logo intensive because these are logos that are important to me.

02 January 2012

First Challenge of Twenty Twelve

For the first challenge of 2012 I decided to go with the colors from my very favorite color challenge, CR84FN.  I have been doing their challenges for quite some time and I must admit it has made me look at new color combinations and even use combos/colors I usually don't.  I can see more variety in the colors on my layouts.

In addition to that, CR84FN has made me a card maker. I was never a card maker until I found Mona Pendelton's blog.  http://cupcakescreations.blogspot.com/  I guess the rest as they say it is history. I have been doing the challenges since 29 April 2011 and frankly my dear I don't plan on stopping.

This layout was something I have fretted over for a while.  I knew I wanted to piece together the view from the back of the Carnival Dream and put it into a layout, but honestly I have been stuck on what to do with it.  The challenge colors of blue, yellow and orange seem to flow with the colors on the pool deck and of course to me that makes my eye go right up to that lovely water of the Caribbean.





The owl was something I have wanted to work on for a while too.  He is a free clip art owl that I found online and knew I was going to use for a string art, I just did not know what colors.  First I painted him with watercolors in the blue, yellow and orange.  This was a base for my string art.  Then I took my stick thingy (paper piercer) and grabbed some DMC floss and my needle and let my imagination go. 

I am rather pleased with the way the whole thing turned out.  The orange and blue paper were from my scrapbin.  The yellow paper is Recollections from Michael's.  The thread is DMC.  The ink is faded jeans by Tim Holtz.  The watercolors are Prang.  And the views by God!  My journaling is hidden under the owl, because I wanted the large photo and owl to stand out.  There was not much to say anyway, just how much I loved to walk to deck 14 and stare out at this view.


31 December 2011

Artistic Goals for 2012

1. Continue to put my work "out there"

2. Do at least one project every week that requires I buy no extra supplies.

3. Learn a new technique every month.

4. Make at least one card a week and mail it to someone.

5. Take a Tim Holtz class.

6. Attend a CKC or CKU.

7. Work at whichever I go to.

8. Meet more scrap artists.

9. Up cycle more items.

10. Find a way to enter the fair this year.

26 December 2011

Tim Holtz, Twelve Tags of Chistmas #8

II wanted to wait to do this tag until after Christmas. I did not want to feel obligated to do it in a Christmas theme. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the steam punk stuff. I can't help myself!  I thought this tag would be a great reflection of ME!  Yeah, I am kind of like a steampunk girl.  I am new technology with the old world vibe to it.  One of a kind, unique, and a bit off the wall.

If you have never googled "steampunk", you must.  There are some amazing creations out there dedicated to the movement.  There is even a challenge website that I think is just peachy.  http://gingersnapcreations.blogspot.com/  If you are into steampunk or challenges go check it out.  It is a wealth of information.

This tag features a canvas square from Technique Tuesday (I LOVE them), a yo yo flower made by me from my husband's dress shirt, FAB letters from Making Memories, stamps from 7 gypsies, steampunk chipboard by Bo Bunny, distress stickles by Tim Holtz, jute, washers and a chain from Hanks Bros True Value and ribbon dyed with my very own Michelle's Musings sprays in chocolate bar brown, GaGa Green and Sterling Silver.  Oh, and I dyed the washer red using cranberry alcohol ink.  The tag background is a page from Tim Holtz papers and I have stamped it with one of his words stamps (in a ghost fashion) using Stazon!


This tag might be fun for a man's birthday or even just for ME!!!

17 December 2011

I wish I may...I wish I might

Goodness me Tim, I did not have many of the items you featured on this last tag.  I had to improvise in a MASSIVE way.

Starting out, I don't have a sizzix so every single sizzix detail had to be hand drawn and then cut out by me.  This adorable little house was no exception.  I added some gold to mine because I knew that I wanted GOLD this time instead of a silver look.

I also did not (nor have I ever seen in stores) the tissue paper. I made my own.  I took regular gift wrapping tissue, stamped it with Stazon and then inked some of it (not all because this was difficult).  So all my tissue elements were done by me as well.

I did not (nor will I ever) have the baby thingy.  Sorry, but she sort of freaks me out.  It's like Christopher Walken or Ray Liotta, and I just could not have that baby on my tag.  I used a cool Santa that I have been hanging onto.  Yeah, I lost the dimensional aspect, but it features gold and that is the look I wanted.

Mine is pretty much totally different than Tim's but that is the idea to be inspired by his work, and that works every time.

Merry Christmas fellow Tim Holtz's fans!!!

Bonus tag created with leftovers!


11 December 2011

Tags of Christmas tag #7 and #11

Yes, I realize I have forgotten some of the tags, it's just that I loved these 2 so much that I had to make them RIGHT NOW!!!!

#7  was a vision of lovely from the get go.  And of course Michelle Champion had to improvise on the materials.  Our Hobby Lobby and Michaels stores have the worst sections for Tim Holtz products.  You either have to order them online or create your own.  I tend to follow with the later.  You will see that this tag is NO exception.

First of all, Tim called for glassine paper.  Yeah, well I don't have that but did have some envelopes.  I had to take apart  the envelopes in order to create the holly leaves from the bottom of the tag.  I think they worked out just fine.  Tim wanted me to color the pearls red, but I only had terra cotta alcohol inks so that is the route I had to take.  "A Joyful Christmas" is a stamp he has created and I adore it, but have never seen it in a store. I just had to make my own.  I think it turned out nicely.  Not as good as his, but a good second.  He requested you use his sizzix dies for the trees and leaves, but those had to be copied by me because I have no sizzix.   I added wires of beads to add a little flair.  Thanks Tim I enjoyed making this one.

The last one is not my style but thought I should make it because it might expand my interests.  This one is used on glossy paper, yeah I didn't have that so I used poster board.  He also used shrink plastic, but all I had was a #5 cup from Huck's ("HUCKS" said in a low Brick type voice).  I also did not have his Santa stamp  (found clip art online and embossed the ink while it was wet) and the Merry Christmas I had to create as well.  I did have ALL of the right colors of inks.  I generally don't like the glossy cardstock, but this wasn't bad.  Of all the tags I have made with Tim this year, this one was the easiest.

Thanks again Tim for some fantastic inspiration. 

04 December 2011

The tags of Christmas





One of my favorite times of the year are when Tim Holtz introduces his 12 tags of Christmas.  This year was "doubly" fun because he is allowing us to show off our versions of the tags.  I have put the first 3 in a blog, why?  Because I can that's why.  I even got inspired to do one of my own.

I have done them all but tag 3.  I could not do that because I loaned out all of my Christmas stamps. So that was impossible.  I had to change a few elements on each tag because I did not have what I needed.  The largest difference was anything Tim used with his Sizzix dies (pinecones, reindeer, snowman, leaves, Noel, 25) I had to create myself.  So I had to make a pattern and then go from there.  It took more time, but everything is 100% made by me, no computer, no cricut...just Tim's wonderful designs.

These were loads of fun, and I look forward to the next 8!!







27 November 2011

CKC and growing up

 This was an event that I had looked forward to for months and months.  I planned the classes and activities with a friend then the countdown to the event began.  Life somehow got in the way during the 3 months it took to countdown to the event.  My life began to take a drastic turn.  I began to question life and my career.  I realized I was missing out on so many things...my kids were growing up, I was never home, and had no insurance.  Plus, there was a drastic feeling of my wheels being spun over and over and over with no end result.  I had hit a wall, a burn out?  Probably, so I began to change course.  Focus, on my home life.  To learn to be at home.  Change was coming.  I went on a few interviews and almost had a couple of jobs.  I felt that maybe God was telling me to wait.  I waited.  It happened over the course of 4 days.  Four very fast paced, but very welcome days.

Then began more of a growth, of a goodbye.  A goodbye to so much.  So much I will not bore you with here.  You came to learn of my CKC event.  It is just that the backstory of a life beginning over was part of it.

CKC was to be in September and I could see that it was going to be a solo event for me.  I decided to put on my big girl britches and do it myself. I was outgoing, I was going to have fun and I would have no regrets about it.  I called my aunt to arrange for a place to stay and called a scrapbook company and asked to work the event in their booth.

It turned out to be just as wonderful as I had planned.  I proved something to myself, I CAN DO IT!  On so many levels, I proved I can do it!  I still have bridges to cross, roads to pave, mountains to climb, but with God and my family.  I CAN DO IT!!!


I am not to old to GROW!

I adore a pink scraf, especially when I make it!






So I had this great pink t-shirt.  Fit great, great color, was WELL made and in typical Michelle fashion, I washed it......WITH AN INK PEN!!!


Yes, the lovely shirt had ink on the back of it.  For a while, I wore it under a shirt because the front was fine.  Until that one day when I was sweating and I needed to take off the over the shirt.  I decided then and there that wearing it under something just was NOT going to work.  Next step?  To repurpose it.  I thought about it for a couple of weeks.  What did I want to do?  How did I want to do it?  etc...I decided that a scarf would best serve me. I wear scarves all the time (I am sort of like a Cullen in that fashion) and the pink color would be perfect to wear with a black or brown t-shirt.

I first made the shirt as flat as I could on the table and then cut off the hem.  The next step was to cut the midsection just under the armpit area.  That left me a tube and from this tube I just 1/2 (ish I don't measure) strips.


When I cut strips out of the entire tube I put all the strips together and pulled as hard as I could to stretch out the strips.   The t-shirt had two side seams so I would have to deal with them.  On one seam I made a band out of the t-shirt remnants.  I tied the strip around the seam, wrapped it and then tied again.  I tried to hide my tying inside the bulk of the strips.


On the other side, I put a flower that I made from the sleeves.  I did not come up with this design, this lady did.....it is brilliant!!!    http://gonetoearth.typepad.com/gonetoearth/2009/03/tutorial-fabric-flower-brooch.html

In the end, all that was left was this pile of scraps. I do intend to make a couple of flowers out of this stuff. 




In the end, I had very few scraps left, I made a bracelet, a flower and had 4 square left that I intend to stamp on and place on a scrapbook page.

19 November 2011

Books of 2011

I keep a reading diary of the books that I read each year.  I have to write down each book and whether or not it was good.  I also note if it is a library book (or borrowed) or my own.  Last year was the first year I started reading digital books and this year I am reading digital almost exclusively.  This year marked a big milestone to me....I turned 39 and finished my 39th time reading Gone with the Wind.  2011 was also the 75th anniversary of the publishing of this grand book.

Actually, I sort of did  the GWTW thing all year.  I reread Rhett Butler's people (which I really like) and Scarlett (which I am indifferent about) and spent a lot of time in the wizardly world.

Listed are my top ten books of 2011


1.  Gone with the Wind ---I love spending time in the home of Miss O'Hara.  I love her little mind and trying to figure out why she does the things she does. I love Rhett Butler.  A man who is handsome, rough, tough, but has a genuine heart of gold.  He won't let you know that he does though.  I love Miss Melly, who gives and gives and gives and eventually she gives her life.  Ashley, who is stupid and caught up in a world that doesn't exist but he won't move on until it is too late.  Sue Ellen, who is selfish to the end, until Will shows up to save the day.  Gerald...who poor guy can't live without Mrs. O'Hara.  I adore Pittypat, who is an airhead if I ever saw one.  Mrs. Tarelton...who is bold, daring, chooses horses over her boys, but it a good woman deep inside.  Mammy, who I wish I could take home.  A true loving soul, who was underappreciated, who was the wisest character in the book.  Who gave all....and then some.  Scarlett did not deserve her love.  Rhett earned it!  Just bought my 3rd copy. the other 2 have fallen apart.


2.  Song of the Siren-  I read this book at least twice every year.  The magnificent Carlotta Main, spoiled, loved, adored and extremely selfish.  She was born under very strange circumstances and had a surprise when she was older...a surprise about her birth.  She runs away with a Jesuit and marries another man.  A wonderful man who did not deserve the things she did to him.  Oh, but Carlotta got hers in the end.  Thank goodness for her dear sister Darmaris who ends up saving EVERYONE!   I have been through 4 copies of this book. 

3..  The Hunger Games-April Rambo got me to read this and I am so glad that she did.  I think this was a wonderful book and I could not put it down.  2 times this year.  I do not own it.

4.  The Help-  I have only read this once, but I did just check it out from my virtual library branch and will begin reading it for the 2nd time this weekend.  I don't hate any character in the book.

5.  Deathly Hallows-  I read this book in preparation of the movie.  I read it for the first time last year...very quickly and I was sure I missed something.  I did miss a bit, but only small pieces. I will read it again this year.  I do think it is the best of the series.

6.  Travels in Alaska -I have read this every year since 2008, the first year that I went to Alaska.  I find that when I read this book, I go back to Alaska...but back with John Muir.  In a time that life was simpler and the country was pure and unchemicaled.  John paints a lovely picture of exactly what Alaska looks like. I feel I am in that canoe, on that glacier or casing Stika right along side him.  You can also feel how close John was to God.  His faith was strong and that faith flows through you while you are traveling with him.

7.  A funny thing happened on the way to the future-a very short read by Michael J Fox.  This book tends to be about education.  And his lack thereof....a very nice, very fast read (about 1 hour)

8.  Breaking Dawn-had to read this again in preparation of the movie.  I still find portions of this UGLY.  Stephanie Meyer sucks me into her vampire world and I cannot get out. I adore this series.

9.  The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe-a nice little world that begins in a closet.  I enjoyed this, but had much trouble reading the second one.  I will try again one day, just not anytime soon.

10.  The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud-I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book.  Finally saw the movie and the movie is NOWHERE as good.  Read this book.  

02 November 2011

Year of the film


Every year I do MANY top ten lists. I am hoping in the event that I lose my mind (no comments needed here thank you very much), I shall be able to look back on my top ten lists and spark some memories.

Movies:
1.  Gone with the Wind-I simply cannot move this movie from the first place
 2.  Titanic-extraordinary movie...about the ship that made me fall in love with ships
3.  The Band Wagon-Simply the greatest musical ever made

4.  Back to the Future-why don't you make like a tree and get out

5. The Deathly Hallows part 1&2, because they can't be split apart

6.   Three Little Words-second greatest musical of all time

7.  Oklahoma-Oh what a beautiful morning

8. Robin Hood-Robin Hood and Little John running through the forest laughing back and forth at what  the other one has to say

9.   Seven Brides for Seven Brothers-Howard Keel I needn't say anything else

10.  Eclipse-JASPER!  JANE!!  love this film




23 October 2011

May I have your card?










This week's challenge was so much fun!  What a great color combination.  Thanks to the wonderful design team for getting it done.  This is my first challenge in a few weeks because I was on vacation and then I was recovering from vacation.  Oh well, I'm back baby!

I made ATC this week because I needed more and well it just seemed like the right thing to do. I usually make these from "leftovers".  ATCs are perfect for leftovers!!!

You can see that I added more cards too, these cards are so much fun.  Once I start I cannot stop!!!





Review: The Wildest Sun