Making Art! Challenge #18

I've admired Wendy Vecchi's stamps and art work for several years. Like a lurker..... from afar.....

Then I joined the EverythingWendyVecchi Yahoo group and this last week won a set of Wendy's stamps!! Then bought some more stamps..... And from there this tale runs..... not into a wall, but a card.....

This challenge asked for: 1) striped paper, 2) rectangle frame, 3) Wendy stamp. I had fun pulling paper out of the old stash: Bazzill cardstock, Die Cuts with a View striped paper, Basic Grey Black Tie (green) & Basics (Ledger-lined).

Wendy's HOMEMADE ART stamp was inked up with Ranger's Walnut Stain distress ink; this was also used to ink the edges of the striped & green papers.

Since my daughter and son-in-law have just made an offer on their first home, I'll put this card in the "stash" with the hopes that it can be mailed for their first house-warming!!!

Thanks for looking.

Grungy Monday #15

After another significant period of neglect, I return to the world of crafting and my blog.

I actually posted a piece for Grungy Monday #14 last weekend, but I used Flickr to post. I just wasn't quite ready to "face" my neglected blog.

I've been wanting to jump into the Grungy Monday challenges for several weeks and am really enjoying the challenge of the different Tim Holtz-inspired techniques.

This week's challenge went back to December, 2007 when Tim gave us this technique:

12 Tags of Christmas 2007, Day 7

I had some natural light through the window in my craft area; I'm not so sure that I'm liking the way this tag photographed.

I used Ranger's Bundled Sage as the background ink and after embossing it with clear emboss powder, I used Forest Moss over the background. The photo seems to have more of a blue cast.

The maple leaf was also given a glossy finish; I painted it with clear rock candy distress paint; then inked the edges with Walnut Stain distress ink. Autumn at the bottom of the tag was also stamped in Walnut Stain ink. I had JUST yesterday received some new Tim Holtz stamps from Simon Says Stamps. Talk about just in time delivery!!!

I can see using this technique again. It was a lot of fun and I LOVED the way the background on this tag looks (though again I don't think the photo does it justice).

Thanks for looking.

testing a picture post

I was trying to do something with a photo in my Flickr stream; it wasn't working. So I'm posting the same photo at the blog to see if I have the same problem.

CSNY (Crosby, Still, Nash & Young for those too young to know the abbreviation) had a lovely little song in 1970, Our House. Those lyrics have been running through my head as I post this.

I have some card photos to post; I've just been tied up with life lately. My apologies to those who get a feedblitz message and expected to see a card/craft posting. I'll get back to blogging real soon (I hope)!!

"retired to Arizona am I" -13/365

So, for the past couple of years I've started out with a 365 project, only to lose momentum by the end of the first week.

What do I shoot?

Did I remember to take a photo?

Why am I doing this to myself?

This year has been less stressful for me; there've been a couple of "last minute" photos. My black lab, Vader, has starred in a couple of those so far.

This photo arrived in my lap on the way to work on Thursday, January 13. As I'm driving to work, I come up behind a Dodge Durango with this license plate. And this just amuses me no end.

The rest of the way down Thunderbird road in Glendale, AZ I hear Yoda's voice saying over and over: "retired to Arizona am I".

Who knew???

2011 - one little word

It's been TOO long since my blog has had any attention; poor blog!! I've been crafting, but just haven't had: time or energy or simple inclination to post. The fall and early winter were challenging for me; my 84-year old mother moved in with me & my health has had moments as well.

But 2011 is a new year and I've come to appreciate how much I enjoy being a part of the online community of crafters/scrapbookers. So, I'm resolving to post at least once a week. (And thanks for not pointing out that I've missed the first week of the year!!)

I've followed Ali Edwards' lead for several years and have chosen one little word (OLW) to be my guide. I've decided that one of the things that I've missed most in my crafting is: scrapbooking. So, my first post for 2011 is my OLW resolution.

Materials: digital template (Cathy Zielske's The Monthly, template CZ_4)

I've really come to accept that I'm a simple scrapbooker. I admire those who can embellish a page (either digitally or hybrid or paper) to within an inch of its life, but I don't have those skills. So, I'm grateful for designers (yeah, that's you Cathy & Ali) who design simple linear templates that focus on the words and photos. All the colors on this digital page come from the photos; maybe toned down a wee bit, but in keeping with a simple design.

So, here's to being active in 2011. As always, thanks for looking.

Best Wishes, Veronica

On of my co-workers has taken a new job and will be leaving us this Friday. I made this card for her as a farewell. I'm hoping that she doesn't read my blog; I don't think she does.......

The flower was made for the Compendium of Curiosities Challenge, but I didn't get it photographed and uploaded in time to link it for that challenge.

The flower was cut using the Tim Holtz Tattered Florals Sizzix die; the largest flower is a page from a old book, glued to grungepaper. The black background piece is Amaco metal which was first embossed using the D'vine swirls Cuttlebug embossing folder, then was die cut using the Tim Holtz Ornamental Sizzix die. The swirl flourishes are grungeboard from Advanatus/Cropper Hopper. The oval was die cut using one of the Nestabilities oval dies. Lots of Ranger product was used as well, including distress ink and Perfect Pearls.

Materials: card (stash); black metal sheet (Amaco); black and kraft cardstock (Bazzill); grungepaper (Advantus/Cropper Hopper) music paper (the Paper Company); ink (Ranger, vintage photo); gold glitter (Ranger Perfect Pearls - both direct to paper and made into a mist applied using Mini Mister); adhesives (Xyron, Pioneer double sided mounting tape, mono-multi, pop-dots); embossing & dies (Sizzix Tattered Florals, Sizzix Ornamentals, Cuttlebug D'vine swirls, Spellbinders Nestabilities); die cut machine (Cuttlebug).

As always, thanks for looking.

CCC #5 - distress powder

My first time to complete a challenge for the Compendium of Curiosities challenge. The details for #5 can be found here.

I was surprised to find that in my supplies of stamping materials that I only had 2 colors of distress embossing powder -- black soot and antique linen. I might have to do something about that!

I initially embossed only the birds with black soot, but added black soot to the spider as well.

I'm not entirely happy with the bottom right corner of the tag; I had used dried marigold for the orange color in the left hand corner and brushed corduroy in the right hand corner. I over stamped Trick or Treat with the dried marigold again and clear embossed it.

I might have to try a variation of this tag again and see if I can make that sentiment pop more. Linda Ledbetter the sponsor of the CCC blog posted this week that folks either love distress powder or they don't. I have to confess that prior to this tag, I hadn't felt like I knew how to really use distress powder to its best. I'm thinking now that maybe this is something that I can play with and really ENJOY more.

Materials: ink (Ranger distress black soot, clear embossing ink, distress antique linen, distress brushed corduroy, distress dried marigold); embossing powder (Ranger distress black soot; Stamp 'n' Stuff clear); stamps (birds -- Tim Holtz; others -- Inkadinkadoo); adhesives (Pioneer double-sided mounting tape; pop-dots); tools (Inkssentials blending tool with foam pads; Making Memories edge distresser); shipping tag; black sheer ribbon; black cardstock (Bazzill); corrugated card (stash -- maybe Paperbilities???)

As always, thanks for looking.