Getting Back

I am trying to get back into the "swing of things" i.e. blogging. It is funny when you take a hiatus from something - blogging, working out, creating, etc - it is so difficult to get back into it? I know it is worse for me when it comes to blogging and working out! The good news is that I have been getting some creative time in.
With Summer PSL, I have been scrapping a bit more. I have some fun other projects on the back burner while I do a bit of scrapping and card making for my teams (although not a lot of that is being accomplished!). I did finish a fun Halloween page for my daughter's album. She was Micheal Jackson in her 7th grade year. They were allowed to dress up at school - it was quite the hoot. She was unrecognizable - so it did freak out a couple of teachers who thought she was absent - until they heard her voice announcing her presence!

I used one of the wonderful Halloween stamp sets from Artistic Outpost. One of my favorite, and very old, techniques is mixing ink colors on the stamp. I used India Ink Black and Adirondack Bright Orange on one of the Jack O' Lanterns and on the title. It is super easy. Ink you stamp with the lightest color, then add little touches of the darker color. It is not an exact science, so you can get slightly different effects each time:

It looks better in real life - adding depth to the title. (And, yes, I am scrapping photos from 2002 - I am that far behind!) Give it try - if you have not already!

MIA

Yes, I am still around - just missing in action. Real life became oh so busy - a couple of days in San Francisco for "Billy Elliot"(fantastic show), SFMOMA for the Stein exhibit (excellent) and a lot of time with friends and family.  As much as I have been enjoying myself, I have felt guilty to have let my blog posts lapse. I have been busy with creating, and I will share some of the things going on.

This coming Sunday, July 31st, I will be teaching a beginning Scrapbook class at A Work of Heart. This will class will be re-vamped in the future since the 6 page ALSB kits will no longer be available. The kit I will be using is Calypso:

I will also be teaching another card class using Distress Stains and Stencils. I changed it up a bit after my June class. The card stock is from the Welcome kit:

Tuesday's Tip

I have been making a lot of cards as a gift for my mom to use. A quick and easy background that I like to use is embossed panels. I have a bunch of folders from a variety of manufacturers. Every now and again, I cannot seem to find exactly what I am want/need for a particular design. Sooo...I die cut/punch out shapes out of cereal box (or plain cardboard - not too thick). Glue the shapes to a larger piece of cardboard in the size you would like. Once the glue is dry, place your card stock over the panel, create your "sandwich" and run through your Sizzix or Cuttlebug. You may need to use an embossing pad depending on your sandwich. Easy peasy!

Shhh don't tell...

my mom, but this first weekend of Club Scrap's PSL I made cards for my mom. She is no longer venturing out and is in need of some cards to send out. So, I have been stamping up some cards to put into a recipe box to give her.

Thankfully, I had plenty of ribbon and fibers to use, as it is Fiber Challenge week in PSL.

Journal Pages...

 I spent last weekend working in my Art Journal (and making a new one) in classes with my friend, Kelly Kilmer. I am pretty pleased with most of the pages - and the big plus is that I almost have one of the journals completed! Just 2 more pages and it will be done. The pages above are done - I will not be adding to them (more than likely...)

These 2 pages still need a little something. Most likely, I will add some form of text or a quote...

Tuesday's Tip

This week, Club Scrap's Pro Scrapbooking League begins its summer camp. Once again, I signed up for card and scrapbook teams. The challenge this week is to use fibers/ribbon. I generally have no trouble with this challenge as I do have a lot of fibers and ribbons. The challenge for me is to use them in different ways.I sometimes have these little pieces of ribbon left over - not enough to wrap a card or tie a bow. Sometimes, I toss them out. And sometimes,  I save them for something. Here's an idea: use a variety of shorter pieces as a center for a die cut flower! I am sure there are other similar uses on die cut and punched shapes. I came across this usage in a Paper Crafts magazine. I'll be giving this a try - how about you?

Card Challenge

Since our little "Squirrely Challenge" group is on Summer hiatus, I thought I might participate in some of the Club Scrap challenges to keep me in "card making" shape. The card below was created using the specified kit (Mosaic Twist). Since it has been so hot around here (we went from cool and rainy to 90-100 degree temperatures!), I thought a nice tropical, umbrella drink might be in order...

Do hit a lull in creating during the warmer, Summer months? If so, what do you do; shelve the supplies or find inspiration?

A Little Journal Page

I was going through some magazines, pulling out information and tossing the rest. I came across a card with circles and butterflies. Pretty simple - so it came to mind to do a journal page. I love being able to take ideas from one medium to another. I had a partially completed page next to a blank and thought I would use the blank side. Well...it ended up a bit different than I originally planned. And, it became a 2 page layout.
Below is the left side - I added the circles, saying and flower cut out today:

The image below is the right side that I completed today. I used watercolor crayons and stencils on the background. I stamped the circles with Distress Inks. The images are from Helga Strauss (the Art Chick) - they were in a Stampington publication.

And, the two pages together:

Both pages came together quickly. What have you used for inspiration?

Tuesday's Tip

I have been busy with stencils lately. Most of the stencils I use I have bought from companies like Club Scrap and Crafter's Companion. However, packaging can also act as a stencil. The packages from chip board letters and shapes can act as a stencil. You can use the negative space to draw through. The negatives from punched papers can also be used!

Stains/Stencils Class

My Distress Stains and Stencils class was this past Thursday, June 30th a A Work of Heart in San Jose.  Six of the seven ladies were able to attend. Some photos of the ladies busy with the stencils and stains!

Some of the ladies with their favorite completed card. Many had never made a paper card before this class.

Every one took my original samples and made changes to create their own designs. They all did a fabulous job!