WOYWW # 422 {crackled oxided stenciling stuffs}

want to see what more people are pushing around in their creative spaces? you can find all the details here at Miss Julia's blog

 So, lets see. I did do some online shopping last week because ( this is partially Dina's fault ) she had linked up to this electric eraser for coloring with colored pencils... and it was really cheap ( found here) and so, I happened to notice a bunch of things on my add on list had dropped in prices and I picked up another stencil, some extra erasers, a stick thing that I am not entirely sure how it works but, its been on the wish list a long time ( for gluing gems) and a CC designs poppy stamp..beyond that is how I walked away from the desk on monday night.

 On sunday I had spent some time messing around with this crackle paste through that poinsettia stencil. ( I never remember to bring a container of water upstairs for them so by the time I got it to the sink it had dried on to it) and monday after work I decided to try a few more things, this one was kraft cardstock that had the crackle looking stencil sprayed through it with a couple of colors then I patted some oxide inks through the poinsettia stencil over that then covered the whole thing with crackle paste and then rubbed more oxide inks over the top. the drying time just kills me so, walking away. I will mess around with this some more maybe friday ish.

To the left of that the other half of the kraft that used the same stencil, I had just sprayed color through the one piece and then on the one above I had sprayed a second time with a darker green so, the stencil was inky and I flipped it to use the spray pattern as a stamp onto the one layer of ink side and then eventually cut that into a couple of tags. That card is the one that started it all. you can see more shots of it here.
 and if you don't hear from me today don't panic, being late is my new standard haha. I have about 85% of the stuff I had packed up from the kitchen and what used to be the home office into ds bedroom. ( which I have to get out of there and dust before he gets home again)
 So far on the kitchen the only change is the wall ovens are in, the dishwasher and cook top joined the cook top's vent in the garage and the refrigerator needed re ordered? so, since I am piling things back up in the "library" the work in there will come to a stand still too even though the flooring should arrive this weekend. It has to sit for a while before it can be nailed in anyways.This is about it for me right now, thanks for stopping by!

Cracked Poinsettia's

This is a first attempt at playing with deco arts crackle paste That I ended up combining with distress Oxide inks through a masked stencil. 

 A side shot, this was "mostly" dry when shot so, the card will probably have to go between some books once it is really dry to flatten for a while. the sentiment is from the Concord & 9th O Christmas tree set and the poinsettia's are from a Tim Holtz stencil.

 When I first put this on and started pulling the stencil off ( I masked it a lot) this was completely white so, this is how much had dried after I attempted to clean the stencil ( that did not remove the crackle) but, I didnt try scrubbing it, I just tried rinsing it.

 As it continued to dry the colors started to peek through and the crackle was very visible. the whole stencil received fired brick oxide distress ink then I added some peeled paint over the leaves. this dried a funny color but, I kind of like the quiet look to it.

 If you click on these photos it will change them to a larger shot then you can use your browsers back button to resume reading. This shot was done when it was "mostly" dry and I had added clear wink of stella over the berries and the centers of the flowers.

I have not taken anymore shots after this to see if the last of the white has faded or not yet, but it was looking like it was not going to fade that the uninked parts where the crackle seeped under the stencil are going to dry white. ( but, I would assume if you are doing some layered Mixed Media piece you could paint right over the top with color) the wink of stella did not lift any color from the berries or the center.

WOYWW #421 {Progress}

Happy Desk Peeking day, If you'd like to see some more creative spaces 

and or play along the link up starts here at Miss Julia's blog.

So let's see, last Sunday was Father's day in the US and hubs and I had reached a standstill on the reno because, the flooring we had ordered for the "library/media" room, we found out they no longer make it (same hickory wood that is in the living room & dining room) so, we had to pick a new color and It will not arrive until the 30th or so. So, I kicked him out of the house to go fishing (without me) yep, I like to fish but, we have had entirely too much togetherness the last few months so, I made a Featured Stamper case of a gift card pocket that involved embossing a glassine envelope ( which you can see here ) and then started on a few more to alter and ended up with something for our son's next birthday. ( that upside down Penny Black stamp to the right reads... Another Birthday? weren't you old enough last year?? ( this is the year he turned 21 and in the US that is the legal to drink a beer age haha and in his age group that is a big deal to be "old enough" )

This is a peek into the Kitchen as it was last night, the cabinet contractors will be back again in about an hour to wrap up this (for now) three cabinets the doors are too long so, they will need changed and I have to get a glass co. out to measure and do the glass panes for the china cupboards. The countertop guy will come friday and measure and make his templates for the stone to be cut and next monday the icebox and wall ovens will go in ( partial install ) the dishwasher, cook top and vent cannot go until the counters are in so. it is really exciting progress being made there.
It's such a relief because, I have been second guessing the color choice ever since I said lets do this.
 ( Whiskey Black on Maple from Schrock cabinets ) My first choice for wood stains almost always is the dark one but, I didn't want the kitchen to feel like a cave and it's a small space so. I think both hubs and I are really glad over this color.  Thanks for stopping by!

One more hour

And the installers will be here to cut these crates open and start installing the cupboards. I am sure you get the sheer amount of will power it has taken this last 24 hours to not hurry it along and cut into one of them my self just to see...

Snow Pocket

 It's the day they honor a Featured stamper at SplitcoastStampers and today they picked Kelly and I found this gem in her gallery ( she actually has lots of fun gift container ideas if you are searching for some) and I loved the idea of embossing the glassine... I have never ever considered this anywhere in my head I don't think so, it really grabbed my attention.
Changes were the size of envlope is smaller and I switched the them to a winter vibe.
oh, that and the trendy shoot it flat on the woodgrain backdrop snap shot ;)
 ( this was taken with my cell phone by the way on a piece of printed paper with some to be altered in the next (never) domino's underneath of the right side of the pocket to pop it up a little over the embossing folder and give the shot some depth.

A closer look at the center, the larger snowflakes are both Sizzix ones that I cut sometime last winter and saved for "someday" (which happens to be today) ;)
the tiny one in the center is from the lawn fawn stitched snowflakes die set. the Sentiment is from the Hero Arts set called holiday tags cut, with one of their dies that is sold by itself. The string is from May Arts.

A closer look at the finished pocket. this was kind of like embossing vellum ( it wouldn't surprise me to find this is the same "kind" of paper actually) and so when I was first opening the pocket after removing it from the folder I did do it slowly as the two layers smooshed really good together in my bigshot. Anyways, just quick and simple one from me today, I think I may tweak this idea a little more and do a few of them for both personal gifts and maybe some extra's for the booth. because, there are like 50 of these envelopes in the package and I think this could very well be the first time I have played with one of them.

WOYWW # 419 {not a thing}

Want to play along? the link up can be found here at Miss Julia's blog.

if I had done the normal cell phone above the table type shot, you would have a view of a neekid grid pad of paper ha ha. Last weekend after cleaning I had seen a featured stamper card that I really liked that the total draw of it for me was the printed paper the lady used. So, I had the bright idea to look through my pink papers... which lead to a sorting purging session that included all the pinks, (paper and cardstock, red's, burgundies, purples, greens and Christmas papers.) So, off to the top left of the file cabinets is about an inch and a smidge over of 12" papers I will never use. (purge pile) and this of course took hours. The blues, yellows, oranges and neutrals are still to go. because, I do like how the others turned out. ( I can actually see the shades in the cardstock holders) 

Today is flag day in the U.S. and my favorite gpa is arriving in town today on the train so, between driving all day for work and visiting I may not make the rounds until tomorrow or friday ( probably from work) this post took a little over an hour to do this morning. ( I have to haul my computer to work and download some things there I think (where I have a fiber line)
Thanks for stopping by!

{ A catch up post }

Hi, I am having computer issues at home and thought changing antivirus services would help but, it seems to be hit and miss as far as when I can get the internet to let me use it at home now. so, all of these cards are just going to share a post.


A while back the Inspiration challenge headed to this basket collection where I stopped on this mug shot

And ended up with this card below. the Leaves are from a Simon Says Stamp die and the Sentiment is from the Mama Elephant just a note set.

 The bottom ribbon is some older sinamay and it is very scratchy and stiff so, I did wrap this around to the back and then line the inside of the front cover to hide the tape.

 Added in and un inked wood chip bird because, it felt a little more organic that way and a bitty recollections pearl.

Now this one was done for when Jari was the featured stamper she posted this gorgeous card that I have had in my favorites since that time and I really don't have a similar die so, I took this Sizzix Garden lattice frame die and cut it in half length wise and spun the edges to the center to give it a lacy look. the under that is the drop piece that it was cut from to give me something to add glue and the tied on lace is helping keep it together also because, there is only adhesive under the skinny solid cardstock parts in the this view.

This is this weeks color combo challenge ( blushing bride, pear & wisteria wonder) and the title of the challenge peeked through the forums as " Wondering bride eats the..." so, I had to go see the rest of the story and it turned out to be pears lol with a dessert option of use vellum. so, the Mama Elephant just a note set is still new to me and when I was done watercoloring the back side of this vellum I had run through a cherry blossoms folder I thought this looks all new and springy. and decided it would work for a baby shower card. the banner was inked with some oxide distress when I first got those pads the pink corrugate is from fancy pants and the sheer ribbon is really certainly celery but, I think the colors are "close enough" 

 That purple gem is a goosebumps one from Queen & co.

 There was a challenge a few weeks ago from Judy to have no stamping on the project so, this was one of the piles of those butterflies I cut paired with an acrylic paint covered diecut coffee shop drive through lid.

 and a second butterfly card just because, I think I am running out of thinking of you cards.

 This one the frame and the sentiment are from a Studio Katia Die that I ordered direct from them in Canada and had really good service and a little free gift with the dies, that was so sweet.

Yesterday the Inspiration challenge headed to a collection of some of Audrie's favorite things she has seen people do for the Inspiration challenge she hosts weekly and I picked this fun one of Priscilla's and altered it to be a dog with a disaster. I kept the angle and the themed sentiment and changed the colors. I ended up making this one be 6" square because, the tilted avery elle postage frame would not fit on a skinny card this away. That sentiment is from Impression Obsession, the flower pots are from 100 proof press, the tall skinny planter in the back is from an SU set called scene in a garden and the sprig on the ground in the front is from another old SU set (that I did not write its set name on any of the blocks oops)

WOYWW #418 {DTGD tease...}

Well, when I got home from work yesterday, the desk looked exactly like it did when you seen it a week ago. What a thing to say out loud eh? So, I decided to clean and then because, hubs was under the floor doing the last of the insulation that could not go in until all the pipes/elect wires were done I ended up messing around with a couple of Dare to get Dirty samples. ( and yes, I had red fingers after) so, it really was a "dirty" project ;)
If you'd like to play along the link up starts here at Miss Julia's blog where people share what they are pushing around (or not) in their creative spaces. the Iris card I mentioned last week is in the post below this one.
on the remodel, I got all the painting done in the kitchen & pantry over the weekend but, home depot ran out of the base they are using to mix the paint I picked out ( an eggshell finish one with the primer in the paint) so, when they get more paint ( tomorrow) I get to finish the media room (where the window seat and built in book shelves will go and the rest of the hallway. the hardie board (for under the tile) will start going into the kitchen tomorrow-ish.

For TOS {thatotherSharon}

Once upon a time when we first bought this house Sharon sent me some of the tubers from her garden from Kansas inside a damp baby diaper through the mail. ( which worked really well as you can see) :) unfortunately her husband passed away a week ago and needing to do a sympathy card for her I had come across this Iris stamp from Magenta and thought maybe maybe.

I wanted it to have an no line look so, I used distress oxide pads to stamp it and used polychromo's pencils to fill in the space where the bloom meets the stem ( and color them) The funny part about all this is, I stamped and colored this first and then the day after when I mailed this card I found one had opened to shoot it. so, I did have the colors in my head right just the stamp had more of an Siberian Iris look to the petals so the colors are not in the same spaces..

The background was done with a textured white piece of Bazzill cardstock and I just patted some Distress oxide inks on the craft mat and spritzed it with water and mopped it up more or less using the peeled paint, wilted violet, Worn lipstick & fossilized amber colors. the Sentiment is from the Altenew Thinking of you set and stamped with some Versafine onyx ink.

A peek at the inside. That sentiment is from a new Hero Arts set called You are loved.and this card finished out at A-7 in real life. And then when it was done I started to worry that it was "too pretty" color wise, I usually add in some black on sympathy  cards and then just decided to roll with it, I tend to like cards better if I go with the first gut thought.