Hearts Hearts Hearts

Yes, it's mush month.
These were some of my entries I threw together this evening for a crop who's challenges were due 7 minutes ago.

 So after a rough "getting to bed" evening for my little girl, who's now in my bed with Cliff...  I was determined to get involved at least a little this month...
This scrap group I became a part of in November has proved to be some of the sweetest women I associate with.
And they have online crops every month... and I can never seem to get my act together enough to participate.

But this month, there are 2 mini crops due to superbowl.. and other goings on...

So...  It's love month, so I decided to add some hearts and flowers...  Ok, flowers are a big part of my usual routine... I know.  But hearts, not so much.   The first thing I got pictured up there is an ATC card. Then we have a 12x12 layout featuring my friend Mo's lovely daughter Brielyn.

And here we have a pocket card.  A nice little nook for your love note to go...

Well, hopefully I can host a cropping soon...  I hear the darling stirring so I will catch up with you folks later!  Enjoy your Sunday and your football.  I will be enjoying my Sunday by unplugging the TV.

Couple Stamp Ideas

Stamps, can't get enough.  It's funny because I really never got the whole "stamp" thing ten years ago...  I just used stickers.  I have to say that now I rarely use stickers.  I love stickers, but not for scrapbooking... unless they are really exceptional and can pass a short quiz before being considered for my art.  As far as decorating my calendar and planner and notebooks... stickers are key! Because you may not want Spongebob next to your nephew at his Christening, but you may want him reminding you to go to the dentist.

So anyway, here's a couple things you can do with stamps.

1. Color em in!

The lighthouse was nice looking all in black and white...  but I decided to grab my colored pencils and give it a little color. And then with a felt tip pen, I accented some edges and added some shadow....
 And you thought you'd never color again!

( also, stamping an image a few times on the same page without re-inking it creates a nice effect. You have lighter versions of the same image.... kinda makes a nice background...  ex. the sand dollar and shell images lining the bottom)


2. Cut em out!

The flower shown in the pic on the right was stamped with a couple different colors. (this can be done a few different ways... one being brushing the ink onto the stamp instead of dabbing the stamp onto an ink pad), and then cut out using micro-tip scissors. I know you're saying "WHO THE HECK HAS TIME TO CUT OUT A STAMP WITH MICRO-TIP SCISSORS!"
and my answer to that is, if you want to do something, and you want that something to look as nice as it possibly can in your eyes, you will take one further step in assuring that will happen. If you don't need your project done by tomorrow, then why not do a little tonight and a little tomorrow.  I find sometimes if you leave it unfinished and come back to it the next day, it comes out better because you end up seeing it the next day with fresh eyes and you'll have a better idea of what will make it work.

And if you have those foam stickies, that makes it pop off the page a little ...

Looking forward to some sweet dreams!

G'night all.

New stuffies

Ok...
these are my first crack at stuffed animals so be kind.... ha

I will attempt some more this weekend probably...  but they do have a certain charm...
The elephant (yes, it's an elephant) is a bit awkward...
and the owl (YES, THE OWL)  is kinda....  just a pillow with a face.
but hey, it's great how honest babies/toddlers are.  They just accept things for what they are.  I don't think my daughter has met a stuffed animal yet that she didn't like. So she gladly adopted them into her stuffy family!

I do have some scrappy stuff to post...
just haven't gotten around to the picture taking yet...


So that'll happen once I take a break from sewing machine land.  Who knew it could be so addicting!  And a great activity for insomniacs.
I think I've mentioned this before, but the juices def. flow better when you're tired and inspired.

Nighty!

Blurb.com=LOVE

Here's an idea.
Blurb.com
I was looking for something a bit more special for this Christmas present and I came across Blurb.com on livejournal actually a long time ago.  And it took me a while to actually make a book...  but ya know how the holidays creep up and you get ideas and...  I still have some other projects in the works for them.  But as far as photo books go, I have never had a book come out as excellent as this one.  The pictures just printed so perfect.  Even the digital collages I threw together came out just as they looked on my computer.

This book is 11x 13.  So it's a good size book.  And it's just like a book you'd buy at Barnes and Noble. Hardcover, dust jacket, thick paper....   (there are other options on the site.)

But it was the best money I spent this year. 

 And I'm sure my daughter will enjoy it when she's older too.

So I can't say enough about Blurb.  Love em'.  I even wrote em a thank you note because I was so impressed with the book.  And they wrote a thank you back.. ha...  

Anyway... tis bedtime...

Goodnight friends.

So lame... I am.

So I never got around to posting the banner...  I did finish it a few days later...  
but here I am, posting it now...

I'm actually really happy with the way it came out.  It really just adds exactly what her room needed.
I'm working on another sewy project for her now.  I'll let ya know how that turns out.

I will be catching up on my scrapbook posting.  I've been scrapbooking, just have been shoving it off to the recipients without any photo taking!  The holidays were so crammed my projects were very time sensitive. But now that things have calmed down, I'll be able to post some more...

Sewing itch

I've had a sewing machine... for maybe 4 years now.  But I rarely ever used it.
For some reason lately I can't seem to get enough of it.  And I've started using it a lot in my scrapbooking as well.  Really, that was all I used it for before.  So the occassional straight line stitch across some paper was the extent.

Having said that, I probably don't need to go into the fact that I have little to no sewing experience.
But I decided in my little noggin that I really wanted to make a tote bag for Eleanor.
Ya know how you go to the stores... and you never really find exactly what you're looking for.  There are so many cute bags... but none that scream "I was made for your baby!"
So my mission I set forth upon myself was to make such a bag! One exactly for Eleanor. But really, exactly for me because she really doesn't seem to care what kind of bag I put her stuffed piggy and crocheted vampire from Aunt Shirley in.  She just cares that she can carry it around and take em' out... and put em' back in...  etc...

So I did end up with two bags because the first...  didn't quite come out the way I liked... plus, I was using some scraps of material I had handy instead of looking for something special.  But it's still cute...  just too crooked... and too blue.

But the second bag, I went out and got some canvas and some of those $1 scraps from walmart and I think it came out a lot better.

It's still kinda stringy at spots...  and maybe next time, (if I try for #3) I'll put all three initials, since it now says ED.  hahaha....

I'm also working on a name banner for Eleanor's room.   (once I get all the Eleanor projects out of my system, I'll start expanding a bit...  )

I never really decorated her room with wall stuff, so I thought a sewn banner would look cute.  I'm two letters in, I'll post a pic once it's finished.  But I think it'll be nice... in a sloppy kinda little girl way.  Just wish I named her something shorter!

Digital Yo!

Digital Scrapbooking. 

 I have to say I didn't like the idea at first... but I tried it...   and ya know what.  It really looks great. 

STUDIO J Digital Scrapbooking

These pages were made through Close to my Heart.  The Digital Scrapbooking online is fairly new, but very user friendly and EASY! So it's perfect when you want something quick but that also looks like you spent a few minutes...

I was looking at the embellishments online and wondering how they were gonna look...   but actually, they somehow were able to make them look 3d...  and the pages still have that layered look...

I'm still exploring the Digital Realm of scrapbooking other than this program... so I'll keep ya posted, but for now this is wonderful.  And I'm definitely making some Christmas presents with this.n  And of course some more albums for myself...

 This was a good way to sum up a group of related pics without scrapbooking an entire book for one event...   So click the link up top and give it a try, you might find yourself sucked it like it's bejeweled... ha, coz it's actually a lot of fun as well as productive!

Well, have a good wednesday morning!

HEY! sunday nighters...

So... been blog slacking.. it happens....

So here's that scrapbook I attempted to "make"

It didn't turn out all that bad...
I thought this type of thing might be cool if you wanted to do separate scrapbooks for events or holidays...  For example, if I wanted an entire scrapbook of just Christmas...  I could go hunt some cool Christmas fabric and make a special book.... just a thought...

So anyway,  the stuff I used,  which I kinda mentioned before...

*modge podge
* book board
* material
* batting
* screw posts
* needle and thread
- and that's it!
and I decorated with some buttons and made a loop latch...  so as far as decorating, that's up to you.

I'm not quite finished.  My goal was before her first birthday, which was a month ago...  I got it in a finished "looking" way...  but I need to add some pages...

Here's a couple finished pages...     

I do often go back and throw out pages... it's that whole look at it later and it all of sudden sucks thing that happens.  But generally the pages I end up loving the most are the ones I did the fastest... and usually the latest in the day.. or earliest in the morning. Ya know... like I'd say the magic hours are between midnight and 3am. I recently heard someone say that their "art" comes out at night.  And it's sooo true.  When it's the middle of the night and I'm tired, I get the best results...  

on that note... since I already spent last night staying up waiting for my art to come out... I think tonight I'll just force myself to be in bed at a decent hour...

I stabbed myself with the stabby tool...

so there's a hole in my finger...

things are just getting messier...

I'm going to hold off on more pics for now, because my camera died...  and I took these with my phone...   and the camera I ordered is on back order... YAY!  I love to wait for things that I shouldn't be buying anyway...

But really... me without a camera is like me without coffee...
 and I also promised Norma and Cliff I'd do a photo shoot with them like old times...
 I admit Roo has been the main attraction since she's been born....  and the fuzzy all fours walkers are getting jealous.  And not in a good way.

In other news, I made my first stab at making a scrapbook.  I mean, the actual outerings.  The banana peel if you will.  The thing the pages go in.  I mean, I had some book board... and some batting... and some fabric so I thought... how hard could it be?  So it's not quite as sturdy as the store-bought ones...  but I kinda like it. I probably need better board... and better supplies in general.  But I just made due with what I had handy..
 So far I've only got a flowery fabric on it. I'm planning on decorating it a bit...  since I think I'm going to use it for Eleanor's "first year of life" book. ha...
I don't know about you... but I could just stand in AC Moore and stare at the scrapbooks for 10 hours and still not know which one to pick...   so I figured if I made my own, it could be exactly how I want it. ( well... exactly as far as my skills go...)
I remember once my Dad compared mine and my brother's artwork.  He said we had similar taste and styles except his was missing the "insane" part.
In my opinion...  I am missing a lot of the actual know-how when it comes to creating things.  I just kind of trial and error till I like it.

Now I'm gonna take a stab at sleep...  since I should've been there 3 hours ago...  then I would've avoided the stab at my left index finger.  But I would've been four pages less done in my scrapbook. And I'm giving myself till her first birthday party to finish it!  Which is in a week...
which I also hope I have a camera for...

keepsakes

So we all have some "hospital" pics... Wait... scratch that...  I've heard many birth stories... and many of them involve kiddie pools and living rooms and burying placentas in the backyard....

But I digress.... Anyway... I saved the bands roo and I wore at the hospital.  And I wanted to include them somehow subtlety. And I think you almost don't notice them...  

Ok, I guess you do notice them... but the monkeys are more apparent...

so there's some acrylics happening here... which do well on paper.  Don't seem to make it bendy. I guess if you poured a bottle of acrylic paint on the page... damage would happen. But a branch here and there...  a breeze for a heavy scrap paper! And on a side note: Do trees ever go out of style?  Not in my book... but I'm the one with a tree tattooed up the side of my body so I guess my opinion doesn't count...

 I don't know what I'm saying really... it's borderline babble and very non-imformative!  I apologize...  roo roo and I were just dress shopping at the mall for 3 hours...  We did stop for dinner though... so that took up some of that time. 

I will shut up now!  yay!

I wish you all a happy Friday in one hour and 15 minutes!  

Thanks for browsing my blog!

 there are no monkeys

Feets feets feets

So...  instead of going to bed early, I had some peanutbutter cup blizzard and some chai with whippy.  And this is what came out of it...

And honestly, these kinds of pages are my favorite... kinda borderline altered or collaged... but still work as a scrapbook page...   All I know is I have gel medium... spray glue... and paint all over me.

If you've never worked with Gel Medium, YOU MUST! It actually works great as a transfer on canvas. You can take a picture, swipe a coat of gel medium on it, paste it onto your project, let it dry, and then peel it back, and TADA! It's transferred onto your art!  (in backwards style of course)  And if you're working on a canvas, you can actually wash it off and the paper clears, but the ink stays.

In this particular work, I transferred some pages from an old children's book... Another great transfer is sheet music. Paper paper works better than photo paper because it peels easier...    Ya know.. paper paper...  ha...

Ok then.... I'm off to wash some stuff off a babies knees ....

Have a GREAT TUESDAY!

Eleanor

I'm tryin' to finish her first year scrapbook by the time she turns 1... But I'll leave some room at the end for the actual birthday pics. So far I have an parade of random pages...  so I'm now going back to fill in the holes... (I keep thinking about my un-born, un-conceived second child Henry and how I'm probably not gonna do this for him...  but hey, I'll think about and really really really feel guilty...  often...)

In any manner....   I guess it goes for any kind of art... sometimes you get so drunk on it.
I have this photo of Daryl and Eleanor, and even though it's a little fuzzy...  it's just so sweet. And when I was making this page, It just plainly made me feel fuzzy.
So I decided to make it the opener.  It's not her first picture taken... but she's still pretty new...

So... anyway...when it's for me, I tend to get a little messier.  This page has lot of extra's...                                       First of all, that Somerset magazine...  I ALWAYS find interesting pictures in there. As well as all the other stuff... but I've used pages from that magazine in my art from time to time.

 big ol' bunch of flowers...

why not?

And I found this great "ribbon" at AC moore.  Though it looks more like curtains...                                The birdie is cut out of somerset with the micro scissors... and those foam stickies make it stand up a bit...

Ok well...  Roo is doin' a bongo solo right now, so I'll be back later...   I may be pulling an all- night scrap off with myself...  

For GG... with ♥

Been meaning to make a few pages for Grandma for a couple months now and finally got a chance to.

My lovely cousin was up from Florida last month, so we all got together with our kiddies at Grandma's house. And of course, it was a good opportunity to get some pictures of Grandma with six of her grandchildren. (she has way more than six, but I stopped counting after my brain exploded) 

Occasionally, I'll bust out my sewing machine when I scrapbook.  I really... don't know how to use it all together. I never made anything that could be worn, or hung, or sat on...  but a short straight line I can handle.  And I love what it does for a page! I wish the tension on my machine would stop getting all screwy... coz it gets all jammed up... and I'm running out of ideas on how to fix it other than just asking someone who knows how to sew....

And if you don't have a sewing machine, hand stitches are adorable on a page!

I started with two pages, and ended up with four. I could've probably made an entire scrapbook with photos from this 4 hour meet up if I wanted. But I'm sure her book could use pages from some other events as well.








And sometimes, a little journaling, or in this case, a note to GG fills a space nicer than jamming another photo.

Ok.  So good night all.  I'm either going to wawa for an Italian Hoagie, or to bed.  ...   ....  I know what I should do... but man I'm hungry...

disappointment

CD skippy.  :(

Dreaming through the long winters

I just recently had a garage sale... and I unearthed boxes and boxes of Cd's while looking for stuff to sell.  I came across this one, and I can't believe I didn't just carry it with my wherever I went.  Because I love it that much.
I remember where I was when I first heard it.  I was in Barnes & Noble. They were playing it throughout the store.  I went up to the register and said, "I have to have this cd, who is it????"And so I bought it and it makes me feel like I just drank a bottle of wine.

The last song, Recessional, might be my favorite song ever.

The whole cd is beautiful...  you just can't go near it.  So a Miller High Life toast to Vienna Teng this evening. THANK YOU! I love you!


On a side note, I had a dream the other night that I went to a Long Winter's concert.  And certain people had special passes to not only meet John Roderick, but to lay on him.  Ha... lay on him while he was on stage.  I don't know how he played with people laying all over him, but somehow the music kept on...
Anyway, I had one of these "special" passes, and when it got to be my turn, somehow something happened and the one of the guys in the band got sick.  Anyhow, it must've been a keyboard player cos next thing I know, they're asking me if I can read these charts... so I say, "SURE!"  So I guess not getting to lay on John was redeemed by getting to be in the band.  I wonder if they kept me around?  ha...  DAMN waking up always gets in the way of AWESOME happenings....  I at least got to hear myself play a couple tunes... wish I remembered which ones....