Friday, August 28, 2009

Glad All Over

I guess I really like this stamp. This is the third time I have used it this month -so far. Here and here are the other two times if you are nosy. When I started out working with this card, I wanted to use Flower Soft on wire stems to make a vase of cut flower stems. But these bitty flowers were just eyeballing me, so I gave it my best. I still think something is missing. The glittery middles on the flowers don't show up so much on this photo but it does in sunlight.

Here is a bit of a close up.


I am working on some different cards this week, using Great Impressions of course, because they are so affordable. But the new batch is unlike any they have issued before. Shadowy silhouettes. Not sure when they will show up here as I have about 50 cards in the queue. So check back or better yet, subscribe, so you don't miss a darned thing. Click that thingie on the side bar to the right. See ya later in the week, I hope.



Monday, August 24, 2009

Thanks Peggly

This is pretty quick to make and uses the stubby stamps from Rubber Stamp Tapestry . The peg stamps are in many cases interchangeable depending on what you want your look to be. I usually just put them all in a small plastic box with the printed insert from each set and go from there.

I used Distress Inks on the flowers with the peg stamps. I really don't remember who made the Thanks stamp but it may have been Penny Black, since I like the fonts on her stamps. You can easily see the layers on this card and the dark blue paper is wet on the edges and then torn. The gold paper is from Hero Arts and it had a funky name. I think it started with an M. No longer on the website, so assume it's no longer available. I added some cheap yellow pearls to finish. The flowers were tinged with a clear glitter pen to add some shimmer.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Hum It Again.

I have a horrible headache. I think I was gritting my teeth as I seethed over how long electronics don't last. We purchases an indoor antenna so we could watch the local news when the waves went digital and added it at the same time as the digital box. The antenna shorted out tonite. We aren't using the digital box anymore as we had to buy a new TV a few weeks ago. At least that had some life. 14 years. I use things until they die, even if they aren't cool. Guess that is why one pair of my shoes is over 30 years old. So the antenna is under warranty-if we send it back to GE, they send up a new one. Trouble is, postage would cost about 15 bucks. So that is why I hate this crap. It died. It was defective. GE should eat it. And send a new one. GM doesn't ask me to ship my car back if it needs warranty work, they pay for the tow truck. Jeez.

These are Great Impression stamps. I really, really like them because they offer a deal if you buy one you get the featured SOTM half off. That flower above was half off. I also used it on this card. The images were colored with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol. I also inked the punched scalloped circles with Distress Ink. The scrap bucket rules!

Monday, August 17, 2009

More Crazy Blog Candy! Part Deux.

I am stunned in the last few weeks with what people are giving away. So you MUST click the following link and enter. Because I said so.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Blog Candy Is Winging

I made up some extra envies for a few people and they are on their way. Since the big winner is so close, she may have gotten hers today. Have fun with your goodies big and small. I am going to bed with my pencils and pens. Let's see who gets creative first. I am betting it won't be me-I have a book calling my name and it's almost as bad as the crack coloring tools I employ. Night.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Johnny Depp As A Child?

Just got back from Menard's looking for floor tile for the laundry area and the kitchen bath. 'Splain to me why ceramic type tile is so much cheaper than a tube of caulk? Like half the price? Which is gonna last longer? I feel pirated.

These images are from Great Impressions. I don't remember my knots very well after how many years ago being a scout, so I had hubby tie my little rope. It's NOT a noose. Lucky for him. It might be a half hitch. Like it matters. Bazzill card stock, scraps of papers, coloring by Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol. Sundown among the bugs in my back yard. Swat!


Thursday, August 13, 2009

Novi Or Bust

I promised a few words about the Stamp convention (you can see all the vendors here) of August 1. Someone was very intuitive that I was disappointed. Many things led to that disappointment, some of which I had no control over but I am trying to find some things in the day that didn't disappoint and I will tell you about those first.


I was not going to go at first. Then I heard that Motivet , a super new Canadian stamp company was gonna be there. I had wanted a few images but my credit card charges a foreign money conversion fee and then the whole border tax issue and the stamps became way too expensive. So when I saw the name on the vendor list, I started making plans. I was going to attend if only to get some of these cuties. Make sure you click the link and see the entire lineup of stamps. There is also a blog.

So after getting my goodies, I went to visit my friend Stacey's Sweet Stamps booth. Now I can get stuff at Stacey's store in Fowlerville whenever I want to make the trek, but I am her eyes at the show. I let her know what is cool and new. I decided to only visit the booths I KNEW had stuff I might want. I didn't buy at all of them but I did go over each booth looking for unusual and whatever wasn't available locally (which is lower Michigan to me). I also found this stamp at Stacey's booth that I hadn't seen before and bought it. So make sure you check her online shop.

She has lots of old fashioned images, others that are perfect for Pergamano and layerable stamps for making medallion cards.



My first stop was at Rubber Cafe . There was some very nice images on cling and a fun demo going on.

But the guy ringing things up was so out of his element. Very little was priced. And when he did ring things up that were priced, he rung up wrong. One thing this booth had was the Glu Glider Pro. I have wanted this for so long but Hobby Lobby was always sold out of the smaller one. This booth had a special on it. However when I asked the proprietor if they had the re-positionable glue runner, she barked back "Why would I want that? The stuff would fall apart". This exchange will segue into the later part of this post, but looking back, I should have walked away instead of spending money here. Not because of the products however, so if you like the images, buy them. I got my future son in law a cute little biplane stamp here.


I then took a pee. :)


I stopped outside the toidy area at this vendor The Stampsmith . At this booth was the only make and take I did. Most of the others were charging for them (more later). Stampsmith uses photos to make stamps. On this page, go about a third of the way down to chalk colored images. This is the technique we did only we used cat stamps. Yes-these are stamps!!

This is done on glossy card stock and you MUST try this! I was skeptical. Until I colored the cat eyes with blue chalk and it popped off the paper. I will post an image later this month of the finished project. My only objection at this booth, was the fact she had a Fred Astaire stamp but it was only available as a full sheet. I didn't want the others-just Fred. I love Fred.


Next was Grey Wolf Graphics . I have loved this company for a long time but they never had a web presence. And when they finally went to get a web site, someone else was squatting on their name. So they had to play around to find one that would work. If you love nature, this is the place for stamps. Love lighthouses, especially Great Lake Light houses, shop here. And for silly like below, well, guess you know where to go.


Another fun vendor is Stamping Sensations mostly because many of the stamp images are so adaptable with Flower Soft . Poke around and look at this site. This was the first time this company has been back in several years. A while back, there was a tragedy that happened during the local show and they had to pack up mid convention and go home. I don't have the details but they shut down the company for a while as they dealt with other issues. I for one, am very glad they are back. The stamps themselves are on blue or purple rubber and so very well made. Go look. I will wait.
My second of three must see vendors was Impression Obsession. If you are a reader of any of the stamp magazines, You will have seen an ad from them using this stamp and Flower Soft.



I was obsessed with getting this stamp and I did. Then the vendor gave me a fall 2009 catalog of new images coming right about now. If the images had been at the convention, I would have purchased them all and then felt guilty, so so guilty but I love house stamps and, well do look at the catty online. This is a huge PDF so be patient. How easy it would have been to blow a bazillion at the booth. Just the nicest people , too.

Lastly almost by mistake , I stopped at Just Imagine which had punches from Europe. I love punches but could live without any more. Until I saw the demos. You can use each of these punches 4 different ways and are they ever worth the money . As soon as I was done here, I high tailed it back to Stacey's with my report. I told her if nothing else, to check out the punches. And guess what, if you are in mid Michigan, you can now buy the punches from Stacey at the store or buy online thru her website. I am doing the happy dance because I want more! She also had at this booth some weird little scissors which work so well with those delicate corners or cut outs a lot of people are doing called Dufex . I don't have a photo for you but you may have seen this online or in stores where images are layered and shimmery. You MUST try it.

So I had a full circle and I missed at least half of the vendors, many on purpose like SU, CTMH, and any of the local stores selling what I can get anytime. Other than Stacey, who was vending her own line of stamps, the locals just brought the crap they wanted to dump. No different than usual. I might have looked at a few more but I was tired. My tootsies hurt. I was hungry. And the smell of hot dogs was making me sick. I also knew I was stopping at Marco's on the way out to purchase my stash of paper and that was a stash I did not want to schlep all over the convention arena.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

So the bad things. Sometimes even the good things get stomped down by the bad ones, right? Some are easier to overlook. Some not so much. My biggest beef over all was how horribly rude everyone was. The worst bunch of snarky bitches I have ever seen at a convention much less any shopping venue. This crossed evenly between the shoppers and the vendors. Most of the shoppers are women. If there are guys, it's mostly (90%) poor schmucks dragging their partners bags. And rolling their eyes. If the guys are shopping, they are usually so darned nice and I think it's because they feel great about being accepted into a hobby that is predominately women. And the male vendors-again terrific. Especially Greg Smallwood from Marco's. Everyone just loves him.

I got to the convention late-on purpose. I am entitled with a prepaid ticket to early admission. But it's usually such a free for all mass rush, that I get scared. I don't like crowds and tend to hang way back. Panic attacks are not unheard of with me in a stifling arena. So I arrived 45 minutes after the pay at the door people got in line. And I still had to wait another half hour in line. There were a lot of other women who had the same idea I did about getting there late and they were not happy. We never did figure out what the problem was for the slowness. Honestly, I was there before the big rush and as I went in, I looked back and saw the line going out the door and wondered what I did wrong. I hate standing in any line as my back will hurt. And I made a mad rush to the toilets after all that.

I gave my admission card at the front table as that is the way the door prizes are drawn. Only as far as we could figure, none were given out. One year I won $100 gift certificate to Marco's. I could have really used it this year. Oh well.

Back to the rudeness for a minute. There are rules at these conventions. No strollers unless you have a kid in them. No rolling bags. No one enforced them this year. I had several ladies in wheel chairs roll into me. Not once did anyone apologize. I always look out for chair users and will let them go ahead of me in line. No one ever says thank you. Some of the women would sit for many a moment in the aisles and no one could get around them. Just parked. Then we get to the ONE who really appalled me. She faked being unable to walk and I heard her bemoaning how horrible it was not to be able to walk. Until a seat opened up at a free make and take with a mile long line. She jumped out of the chair and bowled people over getting to the end of the aisle. I grew up with a severely handicapped and wheel chair living brother. I so wanted to slap this woman who would dare to use this ruse to get her way. To me this is like my other brother using my mom's handicap sticker to get the good parking spots, even tho my mom is dead. And didn't ride in the car for two years.

Other pissies-vendors charging 2 bucks or more to do a make and take. Now I have no problem with this for non-spenders. There are always a good portion of convention goers who do not spend a penny. They park their butts at the vendor booths and monopolize and use up all the freebies. That gives many of us no chance of sitting a spell and learning anything new or fun. But if I spend $50 or $100 at your booth, let me do a dollar make and take free. I spent! At your booth! Reward me! Thank me! Make me want to come see you again. Didn't happen.

More rudeness on the visitor end. Groups of women would congregate in booths and chat and look over each others bags and no one could shop. I wanted a cattle prod at times. There was 6 hours for me to shop, observe and make my decisions of what to assess Stacey on. No wonder I can't see it all. Several times I asked ladies if I could scoot in and get a product and you would have thought I asked for their wallets. They actually sneered at me. I finally asked the cashier/vendor if he could snag my paper for me. Otherwise I think I'd still be waiting.

When I decided to venture the hour and a half to the convention, I think I kind of knew I would not be going back. Attending alone is no fun, and no cajoling could convince anyone to go with me, not even the offer of a free ticket and lunch. I hate to drive, I hate I96, and did I say I hate to drive? But I also can't afford it much anymore. Retirement is not fun in any way but it has hurt the wallet incredibly. The nail in the coffin for me was the fact they are moving the convention to south of Detroit to Monroe, which would add another hour in horrible traffic. At the Fairgrounds no less. When the convention was at Gibraltar Trade Center, it was smelly musty, not enough toilets and horrible parking. The new arena Rock Financial Center was so much better. Now we regress back to smelly and musty? Not gonna happen for me.

Let's go back to the vendor who wondered Why would you want repositionable tape? I told her to do masking and she rolled her eyes. I save my masks, don't you? Then I get home and find her crazy husband/cashier overcharged me some mucho bucks. Wondering why I didn't walk away? All for that stupid tape gun.

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My grades

Vendors B-. This was a good cross section this year.

Vendor attitude B- I give Marco's an A++++ with a star! And I love you Stacey (and mom).

Organization C- Could have been better in so many ways.

Customers F- The rudest bunch of women I have ever run into at any convention I ever attended. Some say its the economy. I think many are always like this.

New and Fun things to purchase. C+ so much of the same stuff. I was tired of seeing Flower Soft. All the demos were this pretty much.

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Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Insane Blog Candy! Go Look!!

I am drooling but not very hopeful. Over 600 entries but ya can't win if you don't enter.



Monday, August 10, 2009

Warm Wishes

Today may have been the warmest day of the year so far-I recorded 94F. I am liking it other than the fact we have had horrible storms the last few days, we lost power and even with a surge protector, I thought my computer was fried. It restarted in safe mode but still.... heart attack as it's really my lifeline to anything outside my four walls. A lot of streets are flooded as I measured 4+ inches so far and more is on the way. Naturally, the dogs are spazzed. Marley won't go outside even when the sun is shining and he alerts me to anything rumbling like dump trucks, late night trains thru downtown and has to join me in the shower, toilet trips and even in and out of the kitchen. Can we say neurotic?

I found this card in my files and honestly I can't remember when I made it but I still haven't uploaded the ones I made this summer, so this is what you get. I used Tim Holtz Distress Stickles on this to try and make the lantern look old and kinda garage sale like. I am still on the limb about these Distress Stickles and one of the reasons is to me it's clumpy. I love the Distress inks and powders but these are not my first go to for Stickles. This card just didn't photograph well to me. I think both these images were from Great Impressions but can't find them in my file box so don't hold me to it.

I will be getting my blog candy out this week to lucky winner Sue B. I have also prepared a couple more envelopes with a surprise for a couple of posters, they just aren't expecting them. Right now I need to find an envelope and then my heating pad. Yes, even at 80F, I still use my heating pad. I don't think it helps but it's all I got at this point. Talk with ya later , peeps.

Thursday, August 06, 2009

Blue Bird Don't Fly Away

I have been dealing with a wasp's nest outside my door to the deck. When we had a new roof installed last summer, there was a bit of a gap in the side soffit and I honestly hadn't paid much attention to it. Until I went out the door and a mini swarm took me by surprise. Then they came in the house. Now, I don't like to spray chemicals and we investigated using other ways to rid them from the area, but we could hear them buzzing inside the aluminum at night. I would watch dozens going in and out during the day, so who knows how many there were in there. So I became a murderer. And I feel horrible. Well, actually hubby did the slaughter but I did the research on the Internet so I am an accessory. I just make up for the guilt that no one else feels.

This card used several Great Impressions stamps. The little bird is a smallish stamp all by itself. This almost has a decal look, doesn't it?

All the coloring was done in bed at 4 AM to relax from dealing with bad stuff and trying to not fall asleep to dream of the bad stuff. A lot of bad stuff lately. And I do all the worrying because no one else thinks it's bad stuff. So I color and fuss about and wait for the morning birds to visit, and then maybe sleep a bit, unless the bad stuff visits. I sleep with my Prismacolors close by because markers would make a mess! Night, peoples. A new day is dawning and the garbage men will be by at the rise of the sun.

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Who Says Number One Never Gets The Prize??

Sue B. come on down and email me your deets so I can get your lucky ducky package mailed this week. Thank you everyone, for entering my silly blog candy giveaway. Now back to our regularly scheduled annoyances.

Sunday, August 02, 2009

Fish Crackers

Something is fishy in blogland. I know my blog candy is nothing compared to Copic pen giveaways and Slice machine goodies. But for all the visitors I got, only 11 entered so far. Even my own daughter and sister in law didn't enter. How weird is that? I guess a prize package worth over 35 fish crackers isn't worth anyone's time. Well, it will be the last time, so you have until tonight to enter before I draw a random number. All of you who did enter have pretty damned good odds of winning at this point. Don't ya just love all those groupies at Tim Holtz blog who fawn all over him? I wonder how many actually know they are "feeling" up the wrong tree, so to speak? Check the previous entry, it's two down from here for the blog candy.

This is a Great Impressions stamp. I hope you like the card. Now I am off to bed because I am exhausted from the stamp convention in Novi. It will be my last one attended. At least in Michigan. I will regale you later with the details but I need the heating pad. Nite.