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This will be fun-no slime!

Thinking of Watercolor

This was a quickie. I started with just a plain piece of white card stock. Folded it. Then I took a texture plate and used an embossing stylus and rubbed around the edges leaving enough space to stamp in after. I then inked up a Penny Black stamp with markers-Marvy's are good and juicy but most will work if not too dry. I layered a few colors to get the variegated look on the iris and leaves. Then I huffed on the stamp for some extra moisture and stamped. I then inked up a phrase and over stamped the flower. This will take less than 5 minutes tops.

Heart Break Hill

I am a runner. I am a slow runner. I will never qualify for Boston or any other race there is a qualifying time to meet unless its really slow or last place. I don't care. I don't need to burst a lung getting to the finish line just for hardware. I am happy to finish as I still can! Because of a serious illness, my left lung is only 80%. But it still functions and I still finish. I am a runner!


I recently participated in a swap where you had to make a card for an April holiday. I decided to make my card for the Boston Marathon. Technically, its Patriots Day in Boston but I don't live there and only know of the marathon. I have lots of friends who have run this race and one Mark Bauman, has done it for 38 straight years. That is pretty impressive to me!

I have enclosed photos of the outside and the inside of the card with the finish line. Heart Break Hill will either make or break you in this race. Here is a blog about the race. I originally has the phrase Heart Break Hill on the outside of the card but I cut if off and left the back of the card longer. I don't know why. But I like it better for some reason. I used toothpicks for the finish line poles and applied Glossy Accents to the banner and the race number on Ms. Runner. All that is missing is the giant piece of foil blanket you get wrapped in like a hot dog at the end!

In the words of John Bingham--Waddle on, friends.

Blog Candy?? I Have Nonpareils Up for Grabs!!!

I don't eat candy unless it's peanut butter. I personally would rather eat a handful of garlic to keep the bad spirits away than eat sugary goo. I love to bake for others tho and am a fanatic about those goofy little round colored balls you can sprinkle n cupcakes and cookies. I have them in all colors, sizes, themes and always go to Target the day after a holiday to get them at 50% off. So I have decided to call my blog candy "Nonpareils" which in French means "without equal" for intricate decorations. My grandpa was French so this will be my tribute to him, as he taught me how to bake back in the early 60's.

Anyone that read my blog last week when I said there was blog candy coming may remember I said something about an essay question or test. And that is correct. I have a serious question for y'all and you must answer the question to qualify for the drawing, which will be random but only those who answer the question will qualify.

Here is a photo of the nonpareils you will receive. The photo isn't great because I had to redo it and its 1AM,and somehow the other photos I took got lost somewhere on my hard drive. I use one program for default of photos I don't need to name and index but Photoshop Elements keeps over riding it and is driving me nuts as I don't know what folder it put them in and I have about 5000 artistic ones. I will probably find them when I don't want them anymore.

So this small nonpareil gift consists of one 6 x 6 pad of Basic Grey paper (36 sheets), 3 sets of Gartner pre-folded cards and envies in a red that matches the Basic Grey papers,1 clear stamp package of 4 stamps including a flower and three phrases, one acrylic block to match the words,one four yard twill tape package (you can dye this with inks, chalks, and other colors-markers that are alcohol based work great!!), 5 heart shaped paper clips, three metallic tags that say thank you in script and a piece of Hardanger mesh plastic canvas that I have cut to use as a template for paper piercing. I did this rather than buy those 10.00 ones from the stamp companies as I tend to lose stuff that is clear in my stash. This works for me.

The random drawing will take place June 1 at about 11PM. You must post to this particular posting, so don't email me as it will go to my spam file. One entry per person, and you MUST answer the question honestly and with great thought.

so here is the big question-------

You are being exiled to a remote island and will be all alone and have to survive on your own for 90 days. You can only take one food item with you-as much as you want of it but only one thing. It cannot be an animal or anything that has eyeballs. And you must leave some of it for the next exile to live on. What one food item would you take that you would not get sick of and would enjoy for 90 days every day and could leave some for the next person to do the same with? I am very curious to see what your answers will be.

Remember-only post to this entry and only once. If you don't answer the question, you will not qualify.

Have a good week and see you back here on Friday at 11PM-and the Pistons better be on the way to the NBA Finals by then. No more goofing around guys-my nerves are shot!!

Tim Inked

I hope everyone gets a chance to play with alcohol inks. Tim Holtz has some incredible colors in his line from Ranger. Since I made this simple card a while back, there have been metallics added to the line. I have several made with those but stuck them someplace and haven't found them yet. This card was the first time I used the alcohol inks and the fumes nearly did me in. As much as I love them I don't use them too much unless I have the doors and windows open. I am very sensitive to smells and I probably drive others nuts when I always ask "what's that smell?" as no one else ever is aware of it. I wont even go into how sensitive my hearing is either!

The Holtz line isn't the only one out there. Pinata makes some. I also remember this bottled ink called Silk I think a while back. I actually saw a lady use it on fabric with gold paint. I haven't seen it in several years tho.

This card is pretty simple and I only added the leaf as I had a scrap laying out and stamped it quick and pop dotted it. This card probably needs something else but I wanted to post it before I forgot about it. I like the wedgie look of it instead of how many times the colors are more meshed to where you can't see the distinct edges. I will post more detailed cards later this week-I need to actually get something done outside if it ever warms up and dries out.

Love Notes

I love using scraps and sometimes the less stamping, the better. Ever need a card right now? This would work just fine. The hardest part was tying the bows in the side. I am not particularly good at that as I feel I have all thumbs. I just punched three holes and tied the small pieces of ribbon thru in one knot but it took me a while and lots of cussing with it!

Here is better close up so you can see the distressing I did, not with Tim Holtz this time but with plain old white pigment ink from Colorbox. I rubbed it on the main card and on the pieces that form the wide stripe. I also edged the pieces in Distress Denim but wish I had made it a little more prominent so it would show more. I then used some acrylic stamps and made the words "Love Notes" with black dye ink and popped an acrylic block which I think might be Joann's brand. They sell them in different sizes and shapes and I think they even have colored ones now.

Nice. Quick. Perfect for any age. This card would be perfect for mass production just using whatever pieces you have in the scrap bin and the ribbon tie ons were also scraps. Just change the word to thank you, sympathy, happy birthday-lots of ideas. Have them ready when you need them instead of thrashing around making some.

Feedblitz and Flowers

For anyone who uses Feedblitz for their blog emailed updates, they lost a server yesterday and you may not get any feeds. They are working on it but I just logged into my account after it said I didn't have one (but my name was displayed) and all 250+ of my feeds have been deleted or lost. It does still list the 12 I unsubbed from for various reasons. One yesterday was pretty graphic and had nothing to do with stamping/scrapping unless you plan to scrap a layout and send a card after graphically describing you bedroom wants/needs. I don't understand how anyone can post such graphic personal feelings online. That is more appropriate for a private blog that can be achieved by clicking a box in your account. I am not a prude in any shape or form but I sub to blogs for crafting ideas-and a few are food related. But that blog was inappropriate and all that was missing were actual photos-thank god. It had stamping-a while back-but took a turn from inky to sleezy, I think.

I hope I don't have to re-sub to all those blogs because I don't know that I can remember them all. Since it took me a year to find them all, it may take me a year to find them again.

Now the flower part-last week I did my rare grocery shopping and the deal was buy one bunch get one bunch free-so I did. I have them in a glass vase that is from Mexico. I am surprised the cats haven't eaten them or knocked them over!

Have a wonderful holiday weekend. I have no particular plans except to pull weeds and dig in dirt. whoopee....

UHU Glue Roller Review

I got a free sample of UHU refillable glue roller this week. First off I have to say its one of the most comfortable rollers I have ever used. It fits in my hand very well and was easy to use. I am concerned it does not come with a cap for the tip when its not in use and I had to pick some cat hairs out of it several times. But cat hairs are the rule here as I have three bushy babies.

The package I received said permanent but it does not appear to be. I glue rolled several different weights of paper from simple typing weight to heavy Bazzill card stock and even after 24 hours, I could pull the papers apart. I wonder if I got a package that had the wrong item inside? I like this sort of runner for small items that are layered on cards. I don't think I would use it for huge jobs as I am not sure it would last as long because when I start to glue things down like I do, I can go thru one of this size in an evening. I like to glue all the edges and the middles unlike some who only tend to tack items down here and there. I cannot vouch for whether its actually permanent or repositionable but I would use this for some smaller projects.

I also got a glue stick from UHU a while back that is great for kids. Since I tend to have my niece or nephew craft sometimes, these are easy for them to use and last a long time. They are available in many office supply stores or even at Costco in multi packs.

I have also tried the all purpose Twist and Glue and while I love the size I am so messy with glues and prefer a tape or dry runner. I can say I like the feel of this runner and would buy it again if I knew it would always be the correct roller in the package. Sometimes I like permananet and sometimes not-just depends on the project! The prices are very comparable to other glue runner/rollers and might even have more footage too.

Live In The Moment

I was playing around outside-being totally lazy as I really should have been weeding and raking and getting ready to plant assuming it stays warm enough. I decided to photograph the cards I wanted to post on my blog outside with my gnomes. I love gnomes and have my nephew-age six-convinced they are real and sleeping under the bushes. This is my newest gnome and he has a sister and a dad-but the sister fell over and broke, so I have to get some glue.

This card is one of three I am entering in a contest at a local store. It wont be this exact one but a variant of it. The papers we were given in the contest kit to use have bright Orange and hot pink with a tad of neon green. I tried to find more of it as its from Doodlebugs but no one ordered it locally and I tried stores within 50 miles of me. I like to make up 5-7 before I settle on one style. I just am using what I have in my stash to put these together-trying to get a good basic theme. I will post two more in the next blog update.




I did a closeup here so the detail shows more. I used those new Souffle pens to make the dots. I love them! Just enough texture to make a difference. I actually used some Doodlebugs paper from last year on these and Stickled up the stamped images to come close to the stripes. The stamp is from Great Impressions and they have several different ones each month in a theme. Usually my local store will have the SOTM half off when you buy one of the others in the theme. Notice how much orangier the base card is. This is really closer to the real color of the card than the one with the gnome. I was trying to get the photos before the sun went behind the maple and pines.

By the way-the phrase on the front of the card is a rub on. We can only use a stamped phrase and I have yet to find anything I like in my stamp stash. I have until June 1 so maybe I will come across something by then or take itty bitty alphabet stamps and make one of my own. I used a small corner rounder to make the scallop and then Crop-i-diled the holes in each scallop. I edged everything in Distress Marigold from Ranger and both the ribbon and the ric rac are from my share of May Arts from the ribbon master Jody . I have been a part of several shares and there is enough for me to share or pass on to friends too.

Summertime....

And the living is easy. Man could George Gershwin write them or what! I love the classic songs of the first half of the 20th century and can't for the life of me figure out why music has regressed. Probably the best we have now are mostly protest/introspective writers like Paul Simon and Mellencamp. Where are the the songs that "you are hanging over the radio and singing along with" nowadays?

I made this card on a few weeks ago and I think it's my favorite I have ever made. I loved how the Prismacolors just jump off the card with the use of Gamsol. The shading was so easy to do and I was able to achieve the variations in the wood barrel so well. The only thing that I found a problem with was the bunny after I cut out the image. It just looked so flat until I backed him with the same blue of the base card. I knew it was perfect after that addition.

The base is actually a half piece of blue textured cardstock (not seen) with the white scalloped edge added on. I used the other half of the bottom card for the first layer on top of white. I then added the striped piece as the next layer just a tad smaller and then took various pieces of plain colors derived from the striped piece. I edged all the pieces in Blue Denim Distress Ink from Tim Holtz/Ranger . I probably use those inks more than any I own except for various black dye/pigment inks.

I had to play around a bit to get the correct layering I liked and then added three eyelets using the Crop-i-dile-my favorite tool. I did not put the eyelets thru multi layers opting instead for just the layer it was on. After popping bunny on the card, I felt I needed some more dimension and originally had some acrylic splats but didn't like them. Digging in my stash I found these raindrops which reminded me more of sweat drops. It was just the finishing touch I needed.

I can't bear to part with this card. I want to make more like them with other bunnies, mice, or frogs. I love little creatures and as pets, tend to give them human names instead of cutsie ones. I miss my bunny Bailee who died last year at 14-yes 14! She lived in the house with me and was litter trained. She was more grayish brown than this stamped one. I just didn't have grey pencils.

Simply Congrats!

I found this in my stash last night during the game. It is all made from the scrap bin. I didn't realize how much was in my textile scrap bin until I decided to straighten that out tonight during the Wings game. Maybe I doomed them by not sticking to my normal routine which is balancing my checkbook and doing paper work. I went up to Stamp Image Studio in Fowlerville early for Stacey's birthday and to pick up some embossing powder and then got lost making my way thru a detour. How is it I can live somewhere for 50+ years and still have no clue where I am? The roads reminded me of the hills in Kentucky complete with shacks and trails of rutted dirt winding off to who knows where. The smell of manure was pretty strong as this is an area where there are mass plantations of trees for local nurseries. My doggie loved putting his nose out the window and taking a long whiff.

Anyways, this card is simple. I used a plain white base and positioned two different pieces of textured heavy card stock and overlapped them a bit. I then rubbed a white Colorbox pigment ink over it to give a little extra color. I used a Trio tape runner to hold down the piece of loopy braid. Note that the two pieces of heavy patterned card stock are not the same size but you can play with the measurements. I pre-printed on the laser printed several words or phrases to see which one I wanted to use. I cut the one out that I liked and attached it to the printed piece of card stock before attaching to the background white card with two brads-this was to hid the prongs from showing inside. I am kinda weird about having a cleanly finished inside for my cards and if I can't have it clean then I insert a plain piece of paper folded and attached on one side only to cover it up.

You could stamp you words if you don't have a laser printer but I was experimenting with some old sheets of acetate. They have some for laser, some for ink jet and some that work in both. The sheets that work in both are expensive. I have also used the small sheets that come inside stickers or rub ons or other embellishments to print on. And if you are careful, you can also emboss on them too!

What is nice about this card other than it took less than 10 minutes is that its good for almost any time you need a card to congratulate someone, male or female or any age. I think it's pretty enough even for a wedding card!

To Be A DAd.

I haven't posted in a while because I have been so busy-had a wedding to see to and hope you looked at the photo I posted when I got back. My son will send more photos as soon as he can and I think I will post them at my other blog-the Eyeballs one. I need to keep this one as close to theme as possible.

Tonight during the Pistons/Cleveland game I was trying to organize all my cards by size and theme but I think I spent more time cussing the refs, throwing stuff at the TV and just having one big anxiety attack. The Pistons were so flat and probably should have lost except for a crucial mistake by LeBron going for the win with 9 seconds left instead of the tie. Plus Stevie Javie was a ref and he hates 'Sheed so it was amazing to me Wallace did not get a tech.

So I found some cards I made a ways back and am gonna post one tonight and then go to bed. I may be coming down with a spring cold as my throat hurts and my nose and eyes are itching and my chest is feeling a bit heavy. Well, my throat probably hurts from yelling ;).

This is a card I made last year. I had used the inner part of the D for some other project and it was probably around Father's Day. I used a stencil chipboard D and covered it in Bazzil paper. I remember using a nail file to get the corners nice and clean inside the stencil parts. I then tied a small piece of ribbon on the side. I think it was Chatterbox paper that was used on the top of the Bazzil paper card. It has a texture to it and Chatterbox makes all those wonderful room papers. I probably have one sheet (at least) of every one of them too. The saying was printed with a laser printer on textured yellow and layered on a small scrap of blueish purple. I didn't have anything that would match completely so this little bit of off color looks good. It is amazing to me how much olive and purple go together. I think I may try those colors next time I am looking for some casual clothing. I like t shirts with loose sweaters to pair up with jeans and sometimes want something besides red-my signature color.

I hope to get more items posted in the coming weeks. Hubby is going to China for a while for his job and I get to do whatever I want. I need to finish up a contest entry this week and I don't think I will enter anymore for a while or even involve myself in swaps as I am pretty much burned out with swapping at the moment. I put so much time into my swap items because I would never send anything I would not want to receive-but I have been on the bad side of swaps (swappers not following themes, sending wrong items or such messy ones, I give to my niece to play with) or not acknowledging my items for weeks and it does make me a bit angry that some will take advantage of you. I also need to up my mileage if I really think in November I will get a marathon in-I have narrowed the list to NYC and Chi Town as they are both drivable or train ride possible for me. I just need to stay healthy.

And keep an eye for blog candy coming soon. I have been gathering items and it's gonna be an essay question!

Isn't It Romantic?

The knight in shining armour takes the hand of the princess and they live happily ever after.

My son married his princess in a sweet Renaissance ceremony on April 28. I just wanted to share this photo with my fellow bloggers. The historical setting in a small town in Iowa was perfectly in tune with the wedding theme. All that was missing was the white steed-so they substituted a golf cart!