Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Ode to Tim Holtz...


There once was a man named Tim...
there was so much art within him...
He shared all he could, but he was SO good
... he got strangers to to craft 'long with him...
Not one, not two, not three not four.... he got thousands,
maybe millions... across earth's crafty core..
All working together, at home and abroad,
influenced by stamps, ephemera, and alcohol ink swab...
Toiling one by one, 12 tags they all made
showing Tim that inspiration is like a parade...
With laughter and cheering, a self satisfied grin
we crafted and mastered the techniques shared by him...
Tags one through twelve were created with glee...
meanwhile, we're all thinking, "TIM, pick me!"
So for now, we'll be strong, just one more day,
to make tags that will dazzle and show Tim the way...

PICK ME,TIM! PICK ME. Choose ME! LOVE ME! {Aaaaack!}



And now, Tag #9



TA DA! {*Gasp!} So close, yet so far! Three more to go by midnight! Yipes!

In the meantime, I HAVE to share some of the fun vintage family photos I collected for this tag ~ they were just tooooooo vintagey and magical to just toss out there with no comments... I hope you don't mind!

My DARLING mother in law, at approximately age 4 (1947 -ish)

Dear Father in law... {I'm not even going to try to guess the date.... But MAN, what a Christmas tree in the background, eh!?!}


Santa making the rounds of the "old neighborhood", Corte Madera, Ca. 1964 {That's my bro, looking shocked, in the grey hoodie! Wonder what his problem was? hee hee Maybe he wanted to ride in that rad El Camino with Santa and was denied! }

My sweet {and fairly HOT, if I do say so, myself! *Gasp!* "MOTHER!!!"} mom with my bros... several years before I hit the scene...

Husband and his "good buddy" Santa, compliments of the Emporium! Doncha' love that graphic! Mmmmmmmm!



Oh, geeze! I REMEMBER those feety pajamas! AND being perplexed by the tinsel... "Why?" {Just didn't get the benefit or look of it...} By the look on my face, I "knew" something! c.1969



Here's hubs and his brother with Emporium Santa once again.. I think Santa may have been admonishing him - "Don't pull my beard, kid!"



I wound up not having room for this little gem, but I just HAD to share it with YOU! That's my BOY! Oh, man - he LOVED visiting with Santa! Never an issue for this lad....



The little girl, however, is a completely different story... I don't know that we have ANY pictures of her within a couple of feet of the big guy. In this photo, Santa did his best to hold onto her little vest for the photo-op.... I'm pretty sure THIS tells the story! "Naw-uh! NO THANKS, Santa! I'll take the presents, but sitting on YOUR LAP ~ out of the question!"




Wow... That was like a good, old fashioned photo share! Thanks for indulging me! At least it's some reward for scanning them! I really appreciate it!

I hope you get your Tim tags done on time, and if you've already finished.....

PICK ME, ANYWAY, TIM! hee hee

Noooooooo, seriously. Best of luck!

Timmy, Tim, Tim... the TIMINATOR!

{*SWOON!*}

Isn't he the dreamiest!?!

Here are my versions of Tim's tags, 5, 6, 7 and 8... For YOUR consideration! {Oh, the fun!} What a GAS, Tim's tags have been for me and MANY of you, as well! Yee HAW! And, may I just say, that although, I have incorporated some of my own rendered artwork, where I was lacking in stamps, you and the NATION'S economy can rest assured that I have SINCE purchased much of Tim's products that I was desperately trying to NOT go crazy in purchasing... {Woopsie! Just a lil' shopping therapy - Merry Christmas!}


Fun with FRAGMENTS! Wahoooooo! Tag #5!


A little fragment FUN and a close up of the magic! {You may or MAY NOT recall that I spent the entire month of April, 2009, my 2nd month of blogging, devoted to my LOVE of all things FRAGMENTS..!} What a good time!



Tag #6!




#7!




AND.... #8!





Once again, didn't feel much narrative was necessary, since these are my interpretation of Tim's fabulous inspiration... I had fun challenging myself to render and paint Santa and the Lamp Post, since I didn't OWN the stamps (*gasp!*).... And ALSO, great fun in digging though my stash to find embellishments that fit the bill... DUMPING TACKLE! Oh, yeah, babies! That makes it ALL worthwhile! In spite of some of my OTHER projects {cough-cough-cackle!} I'm determined to finish these tags! Doh!

On a SIDE NOTE! Thanks for all of your sweet words of understanding and encouragement regarding the NONA situation! It really helps! REALLY! Like a big, warm, wonderful BLOG-HUG! Thanks again, sistas!

Monday, December 28, 2009

Where have YOU been?

Oh, goodness! Friends of blogland... Are you out there?

I sure hope you all are well and warmed with the love and light of the holidays... Golly, GOSH! I have missed you! My life has been less rich from not having been able to get around to enjoy all of your talents and wonderful CRAFTILICIOUS output...

Forgive me! I'm hoping to get back up into the big old blog "saddle"... as it were. I've been a bit distracted... Aside from the MANY blessings I enjoy with family, health and fantastic friendships, I've been reeling, creatively...

After some hardship, emotional, financial and spiritual, my husband and I have decided to move his 95 year old grandmother, Nona, back in with us... BACK into the place, I affectionately call, Scrapland.



This is the place where the magic happens. I borrowed this photo from my friend, Centsational Girl... {If you've never perused her luscious, idea provoking, FANTASTIC blog, TREAT yourself!} She took this picture of part of my lil' Scrapland, late last winter, posted it on her blog and catapulted me into participation in BLOGLAND... Seeing my creative space through CENTSATIONAL eyes, really made me proud. It's been a fantastic couple of years, modifying "Nona's lair" into my art studio.... Unfortunately, I have to bid this wonderful creative space adieu...

Since mid October, I've ALSO been pretty busy with these guys...



These sweet little puppy-muffins were born to my wonderful friend and German Shepherd dog, Scout. She pretty much took care of EVERYTHING until the babies hit about 6 weeks of age, when she handed the work load over to ME and my people. We've been chasing after their needs since. The biggest job, of course, was placing them. A full time position, SOMEHOW!?!, for me! Here's a shot of them, only a few weeks old, in the black "yard" of what will soon be "New Scrapland!"



My "hubs" and daughter with the plywood-covered "door" of what we were calling "puppyland". Next is a shot from the inside....



Pups are all matched with loving homes, I'm happy to say... Little did I know that recommending this unused corner of our garage for "Puppyland", would lead to "New Scrapland," just a week after the last pup was placed... Here's the outside as it is unfolding NOW!



Husband sweetened the blow of this gargantuan change and move from "Scrapland" as it exists now, complete with a kitchen and full bathroom, to this smaller space, with the french doors {but no BATHROOM - *gasp!*} I've always dreamed of...




{Shhhhhh! There's husband's bum, hard at work!} Nice light source, to be sure! {Not his bum, the doors, SILLY!} In this next shot, proof of quality insulation, a luxury we do NOT have in our 100 year old house! AND my very WIDE {can-wheel-your-MOTHER TOTES-right-through! ... don't even have to go sideways! Wheeew!} door from the garage side, compliments of my darling brother-in-law! Can ya see, can ya see? It's begging for some faux finishing, but its SOLID, gorgeous and sure to keep out the draft!



THERE'S darling B-I-L workin' away! It was as if the planets aligned perfectly, since he and his lovely wife and our niece and nephew came through for the holidays.... "Hey, Dave - wanna build my wife a new craft room!" was husband's refrain.... MERRY {*bleeeeeep!*} CHRISTMAS!



And so THAT'S how it rolls around here, at Rancho Durenberger! There's a lot of work ahead, but now that I can finally SEE the new space, and plan my layout... COLORS, etc. I'm starting to get my happy on! I can't bare facing blogland with out it! I hope you understand!

It WAS a Merry Christmas! It REALLY was!


My kids are PROOF positive !~ The SHOW MUST GO ON! I've missed you guys like crazy and I'm looking so forward to catching up with the wonderful stars of blogland! I adore you folks! Yee HAW!

Friday, December 11, 2009

Seasonal Celebration ~ GIDDY UP!

Season's Greetings, friends-o-blogland!

I suppose there's no turning back on the old Christmas thing, now! We've got holiday commitments popping out from every direction, the to-do list has not shortened by one item, but I'm still insisting that I jump in for a few challenges, regardless... So let's celebrate with some juicy seasonal color, stamps, die cuts and composition! Yee Haw!



Isn't this Santa adorable!?! He's yet another October Afternoon gem that has definitely made MY season a little brighter! I had to wipe down the keyboard after I saw this FABULOUS swatch of color from Broni, the sweet and ever so crafty designer, from the COLOR THROWDOWN!!! She, {*clearing my throat for emphasis....} SHE......, S-H-E was inspired by Eskimo Kisses from Basic Grey! {Imagine! Being inspired by that delicious collection!} And, oooooh, just looooooooook at these colors!




And then, BAM! A hugely inspirational composition from CARD PATTERNS! What a terrific combo! Two great things that go together "like peas and carrots!" What a groovy sketch for me to combine some ACTUAL Basic Grey, some fun stamping, water color work and a lil' paper piecing {...cause I just love it so!} ....


And here's my lil' seasonal, roof top scene! I created a little chimney with paper and a watercolor brush, with vellum "smoke" for effect and balance! But don't worry, my wee girl has been assured that Santa has magic powers to keep from getting burned by they fireplace! (hee hee) Those "Santa Claus" movies with Tim Allen are a huge help for filling in with some terrific, visual effects to calm worried children... Anything to help them sleep at night, right!?!



So, there it is, friends! A little seasonal craft to help me point my sleigh towards a busy weekend! {*sigh!} Thanks for stopping by and PLEASE, have a wonderful weekend, yourself! Be safe, keep warm and I hope you sneak in some craft-time, too! Don't forget that The Color Throwdown, color challenge & Card Patterns, sketch challenge, are... two great challenges that GO GREAT TOGETHER! Yipeeeeeeee! Have a WONDERFUL time!



Supplies -

C/S - Stampin' Up!
D/P - Basic Grey
Vellum - Stampin' Up!
Stamps - Stampin' Up!; October Afternoon; Hero Arts
Ink - Stampin' Up!
Stickles - Tim Holtz/ Ranger
Ribbon - Recollections (Michaels)
Die Cut Sentiment - Sizzix

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

A little FROSTY on a frosty day!

Is it frosty where you are?

I guess you could say that in this, here, part of the North BAY AREA, California, we're accustom to mild temperatures... We get hot and cold, but not to the extreme of many places my bloggy friends are from.. {YET, another great thing about this bloggy-blog world that we're in..!} So, I feel the need to preface this post with the acknowledgement that some of you, possibly, had to dig your car out just to get kids to school today...{My hats and mittens OFF to YOU, brave souls!} My silly little stories of HOW COLD IT IS here at Rancho Durenberger are going to seem rather benign to you ~ please forgive me.

But, babies, it's COLD outside!

That's the reason and inspiration for today's card for this week's Get Sketchy Challenge, #17!



I brought this MOST adorable Frosty fellow out, from October Afternoon, to help me keep warm with some fun stampy, inky, blingy craft, whilst standing right next to my lil' space heater in Scrapland! {Brrrrrr ~ cement FLOOR = COLD PIGGIES!}



Thanks to this very fun sketch composition from the fabulous Get Sketchy talents... A lil' flip and tweak here and there...



Yes, indeed! Some fun and seasonal crafting to wake me up this morning... And maybe just a wee-bit of procrastination before I face some horrible items on the mighty to-do list... {..Like PROPERTY TAXES! Yeeeeee-uck!}

So, because you were patient and let me vent just then, I thought I might share some shots from the morning routine, today....




Just two of "my guys" eating their breakfast... I WAITED to feed until the sun was at least shining! And thank goodness it did! Check out this gorgeous hunk of ice that I pulled out of their water trough!



A lovely and talented PHOTO-FABULOUS friend of mine {Thanks, Linda B!} suggested that I try for a shot THROUGH the ice chunk, yesterday... But I couldn't get the ice to stand by itself... Today's ice chunk was much more agreeable! The photos that follow illustrate the curious and silly antics of the "baby", Wildcard...


Thoughtfully contemplating a closer look...

Sneaking up on the ALIEN ice chunk... {Something NEW! OMG!}

Maybe it won't see me!

Coming in for a sniff....

Mmmm, maybe a lick...

How does the OTHER side taste?

Ohhhhhhhhhh noooooooooooo! DANGER!

Wildcard "broke the ice!" tee hee

PROOF! Mother Nature is a CRAFTER TOO!


Okay, crafty ones! Let's keep it warm out there!

Have a great one!



Supplies -

C/S - Stampin' Up!
D/P - Basic Grey
Stamps - October Afternoon
Ink - Stampin' Up! & Versa Fine
Oval Shape - Coluzzle
Bling - Pressed Petals

Monday, December 7, 2009

...Some of the reasons... I HOARD!


Tim Holtz.

He's THE reason.

{Wait, no he's NOT!} But he sure makes me HAPPY that I've been hoarding paper crafting supplies for sooooooooooo many years! " I love you, T!m!"




Seriously. WHAT A GUY! Does he REALLY know how magic he is? How can ONE guy... Do so much? For SO many! Think about it? I wonder what a boon to the paper crafting industry this ONE act... This simple {cough-cough!} act of creating 12 consecutive tags... for CHRISTMAS!!! The fury. The joy.... The run on all things RANGER, Christmas, Crafty, Taggy, Boxed or BAGGY!{?}! Have you BEEN? Have you dropped EVERYTHING to go out an buy stuff or are you just making due with what you've already hoarded...?

I've done.. both. Just a little bit. Sadly, we don't have much, locally, for super Tim-a-licious inventory, and since I already own as much, if not more, than the LSS, I'm REALLY enjoying getting myself reacquainted with many forgotten corners of Scrapland... Not just the standard Tim Holtz products, but also... so many WONDERFUL found objects, saved and curated over... for soooooooo many years! Vintage costume jewelry, faux antique metal photo corners, shaped buttons, beads, stamps, RUB-ONS!!! Oh, it's been a glorious few days! Every night I sit with the refresh button under thumb, and tooth-picks propping up the lids of my exhausted eyes... Waiting. So EXCITED for the magic to download... or upload, or whatever it is when it suddenly rolls open to reveal the AMAZING fun!!! Have YOU watched, looked, commented, WON some goodies? Anything?

{I know SOME of you have! You lucky birds!}

Anywhoo, I'm just going to plop down what I've been up to. Not a lot of explanation needed, except to just say the obvious ~ these are my INTERPRETATION of Tim's offering, tags 1 - 4 (although, of COURSE I had to do two for day THREE with that GROOVY plaid technique - HELLO!)! Jolly GOOD fun! I hope you, too, are inspired!











Ahhhhh, "it only happens once a year!" That's what the stamp says. {My laundry and EXTRA long "to-do" list are grateful!}

Hope you all are well and I look forward to catching up with you SOON!

xo-

Elise