Sorry that I am late with my Halloween posting. I forgot how to load my pictures from my camera to my computer.  My son came home this weekend and helped me.  I wrote down the instructions, so I should have no more problems keeping up with my posts.
 Here is Wednesdays Oct 3rd's update.

Here is the card for the 2nd day of 31 Days of Halloween.  It may be large, I forgot how to scale down the image in Gimp.  The stamp is from Recollections and the image of Poe is from Altered Pages.  I stamped on an old book page, coloured the crow a little darker and added a few stickers.   I edged the printed page with a black marker to give definition.

My card for today will be posted tomorrow.  My son is not here and I cannot remember how to download from my camera to Gimp to size and then add to blog.  I have managed to get it on to Photobucket, but now I am stuck.  Sorry

Here is the coffin that I created for my Art For The Creative Mind Group coffin swap.  The close up of the coffin lid shows a picture of a Sea Captain in an oval frame.  The image is from Altered Pages.  I covered the image with Diamond Glaze and put it in the freezer until it dried than bent the image a few times to give it the illusion of cracked glass.  The coffin I made myself from a pattern I found on the intenet and the rest of the decorations are from the Dollar Store.  I sure hope that my partner will like it.

Promise of Daily Halloween Creations

I can't believe that I haven't posted on my blog since March.  I am going to make a promise to myself.  I will post a Halloween Creation every day starting October 1 to October 31st.  Will start tomorrow showing the Coffin that I made for a swap.

Tips and Techniques for March

TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

Here’s some vellum techniques if using this parchment

1. Always use special adhesive such as Helmar’s Vellum Spray or one of the following techniques to avoid visible adhesive behind vellum

2. Brad and eyelets, always cute, functional and helps dress vellum up for elegant pages or dress it down for a rustic or vintage look.

3. Wrap around, cut or tear vellum a little wider than your project and wrap ends around tags, photos and flat embellishments and adhere ends on back of project. This allows you to use regular adhesive without it showing.

4. Glue edges, chalk edges of vellum with Powder Puff Chalking Inks from Quick Quotes (which we now sell) and run a regular glue stick lightly along the edges of your vellum. Glue is hidden by the chalking ink.

5. Use windows, place vellum words or poems behind laser pieces and border punchouts and adhere on back.

Here’s some tips on using the Quick Quotes Chalk Ink Pads

1. These inks are beautiful to apply on canvas when using light smooth, horizontal strokes, avoid scrubbing motion

2. Holding the ink pad, put your thumb in the curve and hold onto the back of the ink pad.

3. Chalk edges darker and centre of canvas lighter. Allow the texture of the canvas to show through. To mix color, start with lightest colour and work to darker color.

4. Use on vellum, chipboard and cardstock. Chalk entire piece of vellum and chipboard or just edges. Try tearing cardstock edges before chalking and hold pad at angle against edge instead of perpendicular.

5. Use on glossy paper, transparencies and smooth surfaces. Pat the chalking ink pad on glossy surfaces, do not scrub or drag ink pad. Allow to dry.

These hints and tips come from Quick Quotes

Tips and Techniques

TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
1) With the intricate dies, rub a dryer sheet, like Bounce, in/on the die...not just a light wipe, but not like you have to put all your muscles into it. It cuts at least twice before you need to use the dryer sheet on it again. Deneen Treble

2) How to stay organized...article from Scrapbook Etc.
1. Clean up your space between layouts.
2. Invest in a labeler or create labels using return address labels. Use the labels to identify where your supplies belong.
3. For digital elements, create a filing system on your computer. Tag the different files you download so you can easily search for whatever element you need for a page.
4. Keep your oft-used items close at hand-either in boxes on your work surface-or nearby in a drawer or closet.
5. Purge on a regular basis. It might be hard to let go of some of those old supplies, but you can donate them to day cares, preschools, classrooms, or service
organization where they will be used and appreciated.
6. Commit to an organization system for three months. The only way to learn what works is to experiment. If you commit for a short period of time, you give yourself
mental permission to like or dislike the system without regret.
7. Determine your top three go-to items and store them together so you won't have to dig through your stash.
8. Dedicate a chunk of time to implement the system for ALL your supplies. If you only organize 10% of your supplies, you won't reap the rewards.

3) Painters tape comes in colors and different sizes. It can be used for masking. Painters tape releases easily from surfaces & does not damage cardstock unless the paper is delicate. Tear or cut to the right size, overlap it at the edges to create larger mask, apply the mask where needed, and when done stamping, remove the tape. To use painters' tape as a stencil, adhere the tape to wax paper and cut out or punch out the shape you need. Remove the wax paper and use the painters' tape stencil as you would any stencil. On the subject of masking when cutting masks cut them slightly smaller than the image you want to mask to avoid halos.

4) Plumbers tape (comes in a roll in different sizes) . Cut 2 pieces about 5" long. Peel off adhesive and attach to cardstock for a background and then sandwich in a Cuttlebug folder and run through. Daub with alcohol inks. You could also attach to cardstock and die-cut and cover with alcohol inks.

5) If you have no use for the baby's crib any longer, take it apart and mount the side rails (slat) as a single unit horizontally on your stamping studio wall. One set of rails can fit at least one hundred small, medium, and a few large wood mounted imaged and get them into view so you can find them easily.

6) Monoprints sound familiar but you can't quite place the technique? Essentially, you get a plastic folder, apply a dye ink pad, open and close the folder to trap air and 'blob' things up; insert glossy cardstock and press with your hands, Voila!!

7) Perfect Pearls Mist...when you spritz some glimmer on a card and have access on the mat underneath blot it up and transfer the blotted up residue onto another piece of cardstock. Don't drag just pat.

8) Instead of purchasing a large acrylic block for those big cling stamps try using your b & c clear plates from your Cuttlebug or any die cut machine

9) Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

10) If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily.
Just added these last 2 as I thought they were pretty neat

Gothic Arch

This a Gothic Arch ATC size 2 1/2 X 3 1/2. The theme is At the Races. The lady with the large picture hat is from Altered Pages.

Swaps Cards and Orlando

This card card is a monochrome Blue Card that was made for a "Just Cards" Swap. I used an image from Altered Pages collage sheet #1855 titled "Beauty in Blue"



This card fold is called "Double Dutch Fold" and was made for a swap for "Card Swappers". This directions for this fold may be found on the Splitcoast Stampers website. The image I used is from Altered Pages Collage sheet #198 titled"Life in the 60's"



The two ATC"S are for a swap for Altered Pages. I used Collage Sheet #1714 called "White Collage" for the lady on the bed and #1855 called "Beauty in Green"



I thought I would show a picture of my kitty called Orlando. This is the first decent picture I have ever taken of him. Because he is all black with just a little white under his chin, he usually looks just like a black blob. In this picture he has his eyes wide open.

Organization for the New Year

How to stay organized...article from Scrapbook Etc.

1. Clean up your space between layouts.

2. Invest in a labeler or create labels using return address labels. Use the labels to identify where your supplies belong.

3. For digital elements, create a filing system on your computer. Tag the different files you download so you can easily search for whatever element you need for a page.

4. Keep your oft-used items close at hand-either in boxes on your work surface-or nearby in a drawer or closet.

5. Purge on a regular basis. It might be hard to let go of some of those old supplies, but you can donate them to day cares, preschools, classrooms, or service

organization where they will be used and appreciated.

6. Commit to an organization system for three months. The only way to learn what works is to experiment. If you commit for a short period of time, you give yourself

mental permission to like or dislike the system without regret.

7. Determine your top three go-to items and store them together so you won't have to dig through your stash.

8. Dedicate a chunk of time to implement the system for ALL your supplies. If you only organize 10% of your supplies, you won't reap the rewards.

Man's Best Friend

Here is a card I made using a digi image from CDAC #8 Challenge. This Challenge is so much fun and the digi are sent to you free as long as you take part in the challenges. If you miss a set they may be purchased for just $1.00. When you get your images, you have 2 weeks to get them posted on the CDAC site.

Christmas Bull

Here is the card I made using a Digi Image for the CDAC Progressive Freebie Challenge.

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SteamPunk Cards

Here are two cards that I made for a monthly swap I am in for CST. I used pictures from the collage sheet from Altered Pages #1732. I attached the printed paper to the cardstock and the run it thro the cuttlebut using a Tim Holz folder Cogs and Wheels. I layered the picture on plain cardstock and then attached it to the card. The cog is from swap that I received awhile ago.
The second card uses a picture from the same collage sheet. Again I ran the cardstock thro the cuttlebug after I had layered the printed paper on it. The picture of the wheels and cog that is on the bottom is from clipart.

Halloween ATC for Altered Pages

Here are two Halloween ATC's I designed for a swap on Altered Pages. I use pictures from a few different collage sheet. The first one uses Edgar Allen Poe, Quoth the Raven Nevermore and Tombstones. For the second one I used a picture from Stairway to Heaven.

Here are some cards that I made for a Just Cards swaps. I hope you enjoy looking at them. The first one is a card using the colours Orange and Black. The second one uses a picture from an Altered Page Collage Sheet #1858 designed by Gayle Page-Robak.




These cards are for a Card Swappers Swap. The first one is HotAir Balloons and the second one uses Altered pages Collage Sheet #1401 Glorious Green. The card with the silk leaves is an Autumn card for Card Swappers.

ATC Swap for Altered page plus Watch parts my son ordered for me from England

Here are two ATC's I made for the Flight of Fantasy swap for Altered Pages. I use Collage Sheets #219 Vintage Butterflies, #496 Take me to your Leader, #296 Crop Circles. I hope you like them.




This is a package of watch parts that my son ordered for me from England. I don't want to use them.

Cards for CDAC Challenge

Here is the second card for the "Back to School Challenge"

Here is the card for the second round of the Digi Challenge for CDAC. The theme this time was "Back to School".

Cards made at Stamping Up Class

Here is the Step Card Dresser that I made at a Stamping Up class yesterday. Here are the instructions.

Dresser Card Base: 5 1/2 " X 8 1/2 in

Cut from the bottom at 1ine up the centre (2 3/4") and stop at 5 1/4"
Score@1" and 2: from one edge to the center cut
Score @4 1/2" from the opposite edge to the centre cut
Fold the score line at 4 1/4"
Accordion fold the 2 score lines at 1" and 2" marks
Line up the card edges with the 41/4" fold at the top and gently fold the unscored side of the card above the accordian folds. Use your bone folder to make it crisp.

Drawers: Cut three 3/4 " by 2" pieces attache with brads.

Front Mat: Cut solid piece of card stock 3" X 2 1/2"

Inside Sentiment mat: 2 1/4" x 2 3/4"

Decorate as desired. It would look really nice done in pink or blue cardstock for a new baby.



My son Wolf bought these little piggies for me at a garage sale. They are made from cement. I plan on spray painting them with a pink stonelook spraypaint. They will then look like babe.

Newest trends in Cardmaking

Trends in Pattern
August 17th, 2011


* Doily – these are super huge right now and I think the trend is just starting, keep your eye out for a lot more doily prints, doily dresses, doily cakes, it goes on and on. I just need to have a daughter stat and paint a giant doily on her wall!

* Chevron/zigzag - chevrons have been trending for awhile now, and right now they are EVERYWHERE. I still see a lot of life in this trend though because they are so classic and clean. However I am trying to refrain from buying anything too expensive with chevrons because I’m sure in a year or two I’ll be sick of them. But if I could find a giant chevron fabric to reupholster my victorian sofa, I totally would, I’m sure it would be in style forever!

Bold Stripe – Cabana stripe, awning stripe whatever you want to call it, bold stripes are IN. Its like a chevron without the kitch. Loving it painted on furniture, floors, walls etc.

Hexagon – I have been obsessed with hexagons for quite some time now. When I attended Quilt Market a few months ago I saw lots of hexagon quilts and other hexagon inspired fabric projects. I especially love this appliqued pillow (shown below) This is fabulous and I’m going to have to make my own for the family room. It’s totally on my list.

Geometrics – Geometrics in general are trending. I love so many fabrics that are geometric, but it seams like they are all “designer” fabrics that cost $150/yard. Boo. But if you’re savvy you can find some affordable geometric fabrics from Dwell Studios and a few others. Just make sure they don’t look 70′s and you’re good to go.

Fois Bois / Wood Grain – It seems like wood grain is super popular but not in the same volume as chevrons. Probably because it’s harder to re-create. I still adore everything I see that has the wood grain pattern, and I hope it stays on trend for quite awhile longer.

Diamonds – I have seen a lot of diamond tile backsplashes latey, I think this is an upcoming trend, so keep your eye out for a lot of diamonds, and diamonds that kind of look like chevrons but aren’t chevrons.

Cane/Rattan/Weave/Bamboo – Although these types of patterns have always been big in professional interior design, they are now just starting to trend among normal folk (those of us who don’t pay $150/yard for fabric). I have seen ceilings and walls painted with the rattan pattern as well as lots of curtains. I think we will see a lot of pattern off-shoots inspired by this style

As far as trends that are waning, I’m sad to say that after a very long run, Paisley is declining in popularity. I have been a huge fan of paisley for the last 10 years and It just doesn’t interest me anymore. With the onset of a lot of these more clean, modern, and traditional prints, paisley will soon be retired until we decide we like it again.

AFTCM Challenge "Rock n Roll"

Here is the Challenge ATC for Art for the Creative Mind. The theme was Rock n Roll. I covered my 2 1/2 X 3 1/2 piece of chipboard with a piece of scrapbook paper with a musical motif. The picture of Elvis is from Altered Pages. I cut out a crown from silver paper and the words The King are sticker letters.


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Cards for CDAC Challenge

These cards were made by using complementary digi from Crafters Digital Art Center. The First one is Rub a Dub Dub. The colouring was done using prisma pencil crayons and smoothed out using gamasol. I added glitter to the silk flowers for bling.

The Tea Time card was also coloured with prisma pencil crayons The green circle embellishment came from the top of a contaier of Chinese Tea and the say was from a swap card that I received. It was so appropriate for this card.

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Gate Fold Card

Here is a Gate Fold card that I created for Art For the Creative Mind Swap. I used an image from Altered Pages collage sheet called To my Valentine created by Gayle Page-Robak. The lady was cut out and attached to a piece of music sheet which was then glued to a larger nestie shape. Then I embellished with sticklers and a few small stickers.
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Swap Cards

Here are two views of the Easel Card that I made for a Just Cards Swap. For the center of the flower I used my one of my favourite images, a piggly.
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Here is a dry embossed card using a piece of embossed cardstock that I received in another swap. I attached a prima flower to a larger silk flower and glued a button in the middle.
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Two Arches made for a swap on Altered Pages using the collage sheet Pretty in Purple.
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Bargello

Here are two cards that I created for swaps for Just Cards. It is a card using Pink, Yellow and Orange. I used a bargello design for the background. I cut out strips of paper in different width. I glued each piece down individually. You can also use a Xyrox machine and then arrange you pieces on the paper. The two shapes were cut from a Paper Flair template. I then attached one prima flower on top of another and used a brad to attach them to the cutouts. These were then attached to the card using two side foam tape to give dimension.
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