Friday, July 31, 2009

While Dawn's away, we will play!

Today I'm thinking of sweet little Dawn McVey, slaving away at Summer CHA... Her cheeks are probably aching from all of the smiling and I can't even begin to think of how her feet feel! Meanwhile, from my comfy chair in my lovely "Scrapland" I've made some cards to enter into her latest Raspberry Suite Challenge! {Now doesn't that make you less sad that YOU'RE not there, too!}




More smashing color inspiration from Dawn! On her blog, she implores us to select colors close to this, but offers that, for example, the "berry" color in the swatch shows up more peachy and therefore we should lean to a "berry sorbet" color. Ummmm. I don't usually EAT berry sorbet, but I perused my Stampin' Up! card stock selection, comparing and contrasting and finally chose to use "Regal Rose" instead of "Groovy Guava," which looked to me to be exactly the berry color featured here... Confusing. Anyway, color... like beauty.. can be in the eye of the beholder... Either way, I hope the color police understand the conundrum. {Hee Hee}

So, I rolled out the old "Top Note" for this project! It's hard to EVER get tired of this gorgeous die-cut shape! Then it was a festival of {nearly} all things Stampin' Up! Punches, stamps, paper, ink... Yee Haw! I finally played with my "Friend" embossing plate ,which you might be able to see in the lower, Real Red part of the Top Note Shape! I highlighted the image by rubbing a lightly inked sponge over the impression, which gave a nice, subtle accent. Another fun item of note is the glittery white C/S which is also by Stampin' Up! Their white C/S is not super heavy and I've never been comfortable to use it as a card base, but the glitter covered white is AWESOMELY heavy! Yeah, for a new discovery!


This card was my FIRST attempt with the color challenge, which I liked, but didn't love. Since all the materials were scattered about I reworked and and produced the card featured at the top of this post. When all was said and done, I liked them BOTH for different reasons, hence: I'm throwing in BOTH cards for lovely Dawn's consideration... Ooooooowww! I'm living life on the edge now! {heh heh!} Either way, I hope YOU like them! They sure were fun to make and THAT'S what it's all about, right!?!

I hope you have some fun TODAY!

Supplies:

C/S - Stampin' Up!
D/P - Basic Grey
Stamps - Stampin' Up!
Ink - Stampin' Up!
Punches - Stampin' Up!
Die-cut shape and embossing plate - Sizzix
Glitter - Stickles and Martha Stewart Crafts
Ribbon - Stampin' Up!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Much obliged, pardners!

I beg your pardner... uh, PARDON! I've been lost in FAMILY celebration recently! My SWEET Mama, Sheila, just celebrated her 70th {*goodness!*} birthday... And we did it RIGHT, friends! Lots of good folks, dear old friends and family... a gorgeous day, and enough food to feed a small army! It was lovely!

And it took all of my creative mojo and tired it out for a good while! (The rest of me is a little tuckered, too!) BUT I'M BACK! Back with some good old WESTERN DELIGHT! I got inspired by my fabulous CAT'S PAJAMAS STAMPS, "It's a Western Thing!"

I decided to... THROW MY HAT!!! ...into this week's Card Patterns sketch challenge!
And if you know me... You know that where there's STARS.. there's usually some SERIOUS
Western Style inspiration! Yee HAW!

What a cool sketch! I love the layers of shape and composition! It really set the stage for the use of lost of materials, tools and PAPER! Lots of color and texture: what fun!

Speaking of FUN! Just to mix it up, you'll see that this swanky pup, by the lovely and talented Alma de la Rosa at The Cat's Pajamas, has been a little altered... The magic of detail scissors! He's all "aw-shucks" and holding flowers, INSTEAD of guns! To see how he looks with "stock-usage" check out my post from a few months back where he was shootin' it up in his lil' Western town! I love trying to get new "milage" from the same images! Yippie-cia-yai-yeah!

I am MUCH obliged that you stopped in today to set and visit-a-spell! Please KNOW how much delight I take in reading your comments and just knowing that you've taken the time to visit! Have a wonderful day, ya'll!

Supplies:

C/S - Stampin' Up!
Ink - Staz On, Stampin' Up! Classic Dye and Craft Ink
Stamps - The Cat's Pajamas
Brads - Michael's
Twine - Yaley
Embossing Plates and Machine - Sizzix
Flowers - Unknown
Ticket Shape - Cricut
Mini Star Punch - Marvy

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Dawn McVey Made My Day!

...And pigs flew across the sky! REALLY! That's how GOOD it felt to get the nod from the all mighty goddess of pink and the Raspberry Suite Color Challenges, darling Dawn McVey! Wowee! I'm sittin' just a little bit taller in my saddle today, boys and girls! Yipee! I just had to share a thank you card I was compelled to make as a result of this WONDERFUL experience!



Beware of flying pigs and me checking off a dream from the mighty bucket list! Thanks, Dawn!


There they go! Hee Hee

Thanks for indulging me in my happy celebration! If you would like to visit, or perhaps re-visit the card that got me noticed by the Mighty McVey check it, friends! And don't miss all the BEAUTIFUL work by some of the other LUCKY GALS who got noticed by Dawn! In fact, check out the whole lot of them, if you have time! I don't know how she narrows it down: everyone's work is so amazing these days! Meanwhile, I should be back down to earth SOON: my kids are coming home from their road trip tomorrow!

I sure hope someone makes your day!

Supplies:

C/S - Stampin' Up!
Pink Glitter Paper - ?
Vellum - Stampin' Up!
Stamps - Stampin' Up!
Sentiment printed on computer - CBX Oh Goody!
Clearly Heavy Transparency - Hambly
Punch - (tiny maple leaf, cut to become wings for pigs!) Marvy

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Good times from the SHORE!

Okay, in California we don't call the coast the SHORE, but I've already used COAST in another post title... Forgive me. I've been having flash-back influences of my visit to the "beach" with girlfriends a week and a half ago. As a result, I wanted to share my beachy feelings in my card offering for Card Patterns Sketch Challenge #24.




I've been LOVING this paper, "Static Collection - REACTION" by Crate Paper. It feels like I just bought it, but it's already a few years old. {Wah} ANYWAY, I'm loving it for this card AND the use of this gorgeous pelican stamp, by Inkadinkado. These items have been pushed around my desk top for a few days and finally, a card was produced for this inspiring sketch!



It's a rather simple composition, but sometimes flexing the muscles of simplicity are the most difficult! Regardless, the most beautiful scenes from the beach are sometimes the simplest.


Relax, enjoy. Repeat!

Supplies:

C/S - Stampin' Up!
D/P - Crate Paper
Stamps - Inkadinkado, Creative Imaginations
Punches - Stampin' Up! & Creative Memeories
Watercolor Wonder Crayons and Aqua Pen - Stampin' Up!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Just a LITTLE clowning around....and CPS125


It's a circus-like atmosphere here in Scrapland today: husband is on a little road trip with a buddy, kids are visiting Papa and I'm ALONE! Okay, so I have four dogs, two cats and 5 horses for company, but technically, I CAN HEAR MY OWN THOUGHTS, so that really means something! Hee Hee Earlier, I was "hearing" my to-do list talking. On my FUN to-do list, is this one item, extremely relevant to Blogland... A darling FRIEND who has appeared to me via posts and comments and HAPPY pictures of herself in her profiles on Flickr, etc. shared a uniquely KIND gesture with me, recently. I don't even know if I have permission to use her name, so I'll wait until she contacts me... But anywhooo, I owe here a THANK YOU and I thought I'd do it BLOG-style! AS WONDERFUL AS YOU ALL ARE, sometimes, for whatever reason, a connection is made that surpasses this blog-thing and all of a sudden the trueness of the title FRIEND is bestowed... I might not know her if she bumped into me on the street {oh, SURE I would...} YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN! Anyway, she's left me A LOT of love on my blog and I usually read it giggling or even snorting, but always SMILING, and I try to do the same to her on her stuff, although I don't even think she has an actual blog, but she has photo galleries (Linda ak Oz on flicker! Unfortunately I cannot make a link connect to her page!) here and there: you get the drill. Anyway, before I go ON and ON: this is for her!

So on the business end of things, I incorporated my THANK YOU with this sketch from Card Positioning Systems, flopped the image over a few times and added my own razzle-dazzle! I hope the fine folks from CPS approve! I'd missed the last few weeks of sketches and I'm trying to get back in the GAME! Wahoo!

NOW! Let me begin my little tale of inspiration...{begin imbibing COFFEE now!}

The other day I was walking down the YELLOW BRICK ROAD.... {that's a hint at MYSTERY {SEE BOTTOM OF POST} friend AND a quote I use frequently, as I was raised on "The Wizard of Oz..."} when I posted a comment on the gallery of this TALENTED card-maker who had posted an exceptionally cute card! I raved and raved and sited a family friend who adores FROGS... Low and behold, a short time later, this CRAFTY paper artist contacted me directly and OFFERED TO SEND ME THE VERY CARD I ADORED! {Just.. because... *sob!* Isn't that darling!}

A woman of her word, she sent me the card on the left AND added the card on the right! I'm supposed to send the "3 amigos" there off to this family friend, but I have been enjoying it too much to let it go just yet... THEN she added the OTHER darling frog and flower AND this guy!


I have absolutely no idea who makes this stamp, but mystery blog friend sent two of these stamped clowns, her current FAVE.. I just thought it was the sweetest THANG! The image, sure, but especially the gesture! No one, except a paper crafter would TRULY understand how dear that was, and I SWORE to myself that I'd do this little guy proud!




Is he singing? Is he juggling? Is he a Fellini clown? Is HE ITALIAN? Is he singing OPERA? Or is he pretending to sing, just before ANOTHER clown drops a bucket of streamers and balloons on his head...? I DON'T KNOW! SO...I just made him into my card for my CPS sketch! WOW! Did I know I was going to make this exact card when I woke up this morning!?! Nope! But I'm telling you, THIS WAS FUN! And now that I know "Clown MAN" a little better, I'm going to say that his IS singing! He's singing THANK YOU, in a big, bright spotlight! WHEW!

I've never much appreciated clowns, until recently... BEFORE I received this image, but not LONG before.. It was sometime in the last 6 months as THIS was happening.. LOOK:

We used to call this character, "Little Joe!" He WAS once little, see:

BRAND spanking new! In my hands the night he was born!

A few weeks into life and with the LITTLE girl child!

Starting to show his COLORS!


Christmas time and hanging with his sister, "Big Bertha!" (Her name is now Heidi!)








So, here's the boy, in his full grown splendor! You might be able to see why we don't call him Little Joe so much anymore. Now he's "Jo-Jo, Joseph or Joje"... Anyhoo, doesn't he look like a CLOWN! Seriously, the evolution of this boy's makings made me think of BOZO the clown! I don't have a picture, but hopefully, some of you knew BOZO? And if not, how 'bout the clown on the ice cream cone box? I'm wondering if the original clown make-up, with the DIAMOND shapes over the eyes and all.. WAS it inspired by some goofy German Shepherd PUP? Seriously: look at this face! I tried to catch his TRUE goofy face, but in order to do that AND have me take a picture, he has to stay still. When he's in clown mode, he'll try to lick the lens and that's a whole big mess. Anyway. THIS is Joe. Joseph, the CLOWN boy. Now you know why MYSTERY blog friend's stamped clown delighted me SO MUCH!



If you're still reading: YOU ARE ALL MY FRIENDS! Thanks for indulging me and my crazy story! I SO LOVE THAT YOU'D EVEN CONSIDER READING THIS MUCH AND ENJOYING MY FUNNY PICTURES! You're the best!


Supplies:

C/S - Stampin' Up!
D/P - Basic Grey
Stamp Image - Frogs on Stamped Cards by Linda aka Oz by Penny Black/ Clown - Unknown
Ink - Stampin' Up!
Watercolor Wonder Crayons - Stampin' Up!
Swiss Dots Embossing Folder - Cuttlebug
Sentiment - Quick Kuts
Stickles - Ranger

*MYSTERY FRIEND REVEALED! Linda aka OZ is the lovely, hilarious and talented friend who sent us on this wild goose chase! HER COMPUTER WAS DOWN, poor soul! But she's back and although I can't seem to provide a working link to her flickr page, perhaps you can look her up on the site so you can see her wide and wonderful range of cards, crafts, photos and fun! She's a TREASURE right out of the Emerald City! Thanks again, Linda, for making blogging even MORE fun!

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Just for YOU!

Here's a little FLORAL creation to brighten up your day: just for YOU! I was playing with this dazzling combination, inspired by Dawn McVey, in this week's colors from her Raspberry Suite #12 color challenge! She sure can pick 'em! I decided to get all floral with my new "Flower Fancy" stamp set from Stampin' Up! It's a gorgeous, two-step set that is extremely versatile and reminds me about one of my favorite reasons that I heart S/U! TWO step stampin': too cool!



See that big, hunky flower and leaves! That's only one of several other leaf and flower combinations in the complete set of 10 stamps: FABULOUS!

I finally remembered to use one of the great Cuttlebug embossing folders "I had to have!", HOUNDSTOOTH! Is that tactile or what! Check out the close up of that effect! Delicious! One of the best things about the texture is that is almost creates a half-tone effect in the celery/moss color, but it's just reflected light and cast shadow: MAGIC! That's what I call it!

Look at those leaves: doesn't Dawn find the most fabulous sources of color combos!?! WOW!

Anyway, darling friends-o-the blog land... here's one last shot of my card in it's entirety!

This IS "just for you!" Thanks SO very, very much for stopping by! Have a spectacular day!

Supplies:

C/S - Stampin' Up!
Stamps - Stampin' Up!
Ink - Stampin' Up!
Embossing folder (Houndstooth) - Cuttlebug
"just for you" sentiment - Quick Kutz
Ribbon - Stampin' Up!
Diamond Stickles - Ranger

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Tonight's menu: SUSHI and a LITTLE Hula!

Let's see if I can get Kristina Werner thinking SUSHI and DANCING! That's where my head's {and stomach} at right now, as I prepare to post, NOT ONE, but TWO cards for Kristina Werner's latest color challenge #56... It started with the idea for this card right here:




Wait a minute! If YOU think an innocent and silly little Goldfish got me hungry for Sushi, YOU'RE WRONG! It was the scallops! Hee Hee I went a little CRAZY with scallops! I was thinking about playing with this "Ocean Commotion" stamp set by Stampin Up! and cooking away at my card design in my head... so the story goes. I was swirling colors and images and...

Wait, I digress... Let me first share the colors for this inspiring combo!



Aren't they fun and summery! Goodness! Sometimes I see colors for these challenges and think: GOT IT! Other times, it's like.. how the heck will I EVER think of something to submit?

So, I was working on my first inspiration, when these groovy little "Hula Girls" caught my attention... I just got them from Joanne's yesterday!

Okay, all right.. So technically, this is AFTER I got done with their fun little dance: but let me tell my STORY! Let me LIFT you up and along for the journey of the DANCING hula girls! Sorry, I didn't take a picture of the "naked" stamp, but I think you'll get the idea..... {"Some Days You Gotta Dance!" - the Dixie Chicks! THAT was playing in my "Scrapland" while I worked today! 'Nuff said!}



Aren't they FUN!?! I was lamenting some of the "AGE" of my inventory. I ADORE my classic stamps and I fancy myself something of a collector.. But lately, my heart has been heavy, thinking about the possibility of being overlooked sometimes, due to "vintage" materials. We're a fickle bunch, I am always GUILTY of wanting the latest and the greatest: but there is certainly something to cultivating PRICELESS craft materials.. ANYWHOO, if you recall the "Do the Hula" Hawaiian themed stamp set from Stampin' Up! a few years back you might be shedding a tear with me RIGHT NOW. I wanted to use it, but thought a "fresher" stamp might get a little more appreciation from the masses. Sigh.. We all have to find a way to play along. Anywhoo: this card was inspired with leftovers on my table top... hence, another food reference.. {can you tell I'm starving!} So between the delightful colors and materials and a good Joanne's coupon.. THIS is why I'm now thinking about SUSHI and DANCING! Kirstina, if you're visiting.. I hope you feel the love!

Supplies:

C/S - Stampin' Up!
Stamps - (Sentiments for BOTH cards)The Paper Company/ Hula Girls - Inkadinkado/ Small Hawaiian flowers - The Paper Company/ Large Hawaiian Flower - Stampin' Up!/ Goldfish and sea weed - Stampin' Up!
Ink - Stampin' Up! Dye and Craft/ Staz-On
Punches - Stampin' Up!
Thread - Gutermann
Google Eye - (?)
Stickles - Ranger/Tim Holtz

Thanks for visiting, sweet friends! I'm hoping to get my husband to take me SUSHI after all this! Have a great night!

Monday, July 13, 2009

Positive affirmation from Bodega Bay...

Back from the coast, just in time for a good old Northern California heatwave..... *GASP*! It's good to take a break: it's healthy! You SHOULD reward yourself every now and then: It gives you perspective.. Reaffirms your identity and revitalizes your self esteem! It give you peace.... AND ... a dirty house, horse stalls and refrigerator when you return! tee hee Ahhhhh, REALITY!

This is what my breakfasts looked like while I was away from home for three days... Is that glorious looking or is it just me! Considering that I usually just have a humongous cup of coffee for breakfast and lunch, it was quite spectacular to pamper and by pampered by lovely and fun friends while scrap booking and having a ball in one of the most beautiful spots I've ever known: the Sonoma County Coast! I never take THIS good of care of myself when it's "just me!" So, how fun to get away and do this in the middle of summer and how great of my darling husband to make things work without me for a few days so that I could play!


Not only was there fabulous food and HILARIOUS friends, but I got a little scrap booking done, too! Here's one of my pages! I'm still trying to hammer away at some "older" photos and to scrap pretty quick and simple.... Not terribly concerned about supply lists and all of that... My goal right now is to catch up on memories from photos taken LONG ago, with an OLD camera and a different eye... Regardless, the subject is fairly darling! See what you think!


Just some simple snap shots from my little kitchen! I parted with a scrumptious hunk of "vintage" Rusty Pickle/ and Melissa Francis paper: YUUUUUUMMY! Some MM ribbon and a chipboard tag from WeAreMemory Keepers! Oh, and LOTS OF CRICUTING!

Just look at that little "imp!" These pics were taken on another HOT July day, if memory serves... just a few {*wink-wink} years ago.... Aaaaaawwwwwww!




{Speaking of "cute little IMPS"..} Some of us TRIED NEW THINGS and LEARNED a LOT! Hee Hee Like I said: it's good to get away! Time spent with GOOD friends is one of the most medicinal practices I can think of in this day and age! I am EXTREMELY blessed to have such wonderful friends to "get out of Dodge" with!

We never remember the pain of off-loading our substantial amount of supplies.... {Okay, a LOT of the crap is MINE! But trust me... You'd enjoy scrapping with someone like me - I'm the gal with the most totes and the most TOOLS and FUN stuff!} We never remember how SAD it is on the last morning, when there's not quite enough time to crank out one last layout, but plenty of time to be perplexed by how the furniture was arranged when we first arrived! But we ALWAYS remember the laughter, the FRIENDS, the great pages we made and something like "the story of the phantom golf ball" that did THIS to a window while we were scrapping! Oh my goodness!

It's all good: we HAD A BLAST! Thank you for coming along, in a way! I love my dear blog friends and I wish I had a BETTER way to bring you with me! I hope you enjoyed reading a little about my Scrappy get-away! I hope you had a delightful weekend WHEREVER you were, and that you had a chance to get to some good CRAFTING!

Have a FABULOUS day!

xo-

Elise

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Greetings from the COAST!

Hi, friends of Blog-land! It's "E-stir" from the coast of Northern California! Check it, dudes!



See the ocean, on the horizon! Beautiful! Nor Cal surf, sand, epic waves! Cowabunga, Betties!

Check me out: THIS is how I roll! (No room for another human being in the "E-stir" mobile!)



Guitar is packed, because I'm off to Bodega BAY, babies! A long weekend with MAJOR scrapping, laughing, cooking, relaxing and yep, a little serenade! You have to ask me THREE times to get me started... but then you have to ask me to STOP! I'm good for two to three hours, IF you like country music. Otherwise, the concert is considerably shorter.

Here's our lovely rental house as the mother totes descend!

This is 24 hours into our set up: EXACTLY!



TWO more days left in summer scrappin' getaway, 2009! I'm wirelessly on-line, wired on COFFEE and creative mojo and the beauty of fine friends! However you are spending your weekend, it is my sincerest hope that you're doing a TON of laughing and getting a bit of the "craft-on"... Surf it up, friends!