Just a simple card for the CPS sketch for this week. I haven’t had much time to sit down at my desk this past week – but work will certainly ease off to nice and leisurely by this Saturday. I’m very excited.
I used an orange card base, and two patterned papers I found in the sale section of the scrapbook store. I covered the join with a piece of Scor-Tape, then poured orange microbead glitter all over it. I like that the sentiment could be for any occasion, including every day!
0
comments
So, once the toe socks were finished, and the Druid mittens frogged, I needed a new project. I actually needed a new project within 15 minutes so I could head out the door to work! I grabbed the Fiddlehead Mitten kit I bought from my LYS, Make One Yarns. I grabbed about 3 different needle sizes, and ran out the door.
I wound up the yarns by hand, putting the skeins over the back of a chair backstage, and started knitting. The kit even suggests the best way to swatch for a mitten is to just start knitting!
This was 3 days of work! They were 12-hour days, but I definitely don’t knit the whole time at work, just when I’m hurry-up-and-waiting.
I got up to colour #4, just a few rows of dark purple. These will be lined mittens, so I’ll end up basically making 4 mittens, but they will be super warm! And hopefully slightly less like oven mitts than my thrummed mittens are.
0
comments
This little bear is one of the CHA relay digital stamps from The Greeting Farm. He is blue because my constant childhood companion was a homemade, stuffed blue bear called (very originally) Blue Bear. This is almost exactly how I imagined him looking when he came to life while I slept. 
I had just bought the clock paper, and have had the word stickers for a long time, so the card is a great combination of old and new, digital and not.
I coloured the bear, then painted over him with clear Tim Holtz crackle paint. I did that before I cut out the image – the paper curled, as paper will, but trimming him after seemed to reduce a lot of the curl. So did a good taping down to the card.
These are the colours I used, and a mostly pre-blending photo (I’d already blended the legs when I remembered to take the picture!)
And for the record, here’s a picture of the real Blue Bear, modeling a baby sweater.
0
comments
So I finished the green and blue toe socks, I’m just waiting until I can get some good photos. I thought I might as well start on the Druid mittens, maybe get them done before the Olympics start so I can start a new Olympic project.
I opened the knitting bag, and pulled out the entire mitten (except thumb) I had knit with needles much too small (2.00mm). Then I pulled out the half a mitten knit on 2.5mm needles. I decided I didn’t like that fabric either, so I ripped both partial mittens, and started again with 3.00mm needles. I managed to knit the whole cuff with the yarn I’d just frogged. Yarn that had been living as a mitten for more than a year. Then I realised that looked bad, and would probably continue to look bad, even after blocking, so I ripped that cuff too. Then I started with fresh yarn from the ball. Last night I did the first few rows, and decided I wasn’t sure if I liked the fabric, if it was too loose or holey or what.
So I frogged that, and have decided to forget about those mittens for a while. I’ll probably knit the pattern sometime or other, and I’m sure I’ll use the yarn in something else, but I think I just need to take the curse off that project by not trying to force it.
Luckily, I have a Fiddlehead Mitten Kit just waiting to be started! I was going to save that for the Knitting Olympics, but I have to head to work in 20 minutes, and will need knitting. Excuse me, I have to run and find some needles!
1
comments
So I am sure that every knitter has at some point in their knitting career wished for a knitting fairy to come in overnight and finish up that second sock, or that last sleeve. I’ve never experienced the gifts of the knitting fairy, but I always hold out hope. Now we have documented proof that such a creature exists:
This is a digital stamp from Sugar Nellie. I love the idea of it, but I need to find another way to print out digital images. This one in particular didn’t have a white background. It is certainly very pale, but there’s a fine pattern of coloured ink dots throughout the image, which bled as I coloured. You can really see it in her skin, as that’s the palest. When I set my printer to ‘black ink only’ it didn’t print. That might be my problem with my printer, but it didn’t make this little fairy a joy to colour, let me tell you.
The background paper was in the 10/$1 section at my LSS – it’s completely flocked, so the whole thing is fuzzy. The weird thing is that I coloured this image, then went out to the store, but the colours match perfectly! Choosing the right adhesive for this paper was very important. I have started using one of those sticky dispensers that you just run along the paper like that whiteout I love so much. Glue stick (or at least the UHU I have) never seemed to bond quite right, and with one bend of the card, the whole piece of paper would ’snap’ off. Love the Tombo adhesive runner. It worked like normal to stick the flocked paper to the card. To stick the cardstock to the flock…. not so good. I ended up peeling it off (easily) and sticking it back down with regular old white glue. Not sure if this one will get sent, but it was a good exercise in things not always working out.
0
comments
This is the second image from The Greeting Farm’s relay giveaway. It’s snowy and cold here, so I wanted to make something with bright colours – and I don’t think there’s a brighter combination than orange and pink!
Again, I had problems with printer ink bleeding. She’s wearing smokey eyeshadow now! The worst culprit was actually my clear Spica glitter pen. It really made the ink around her eyes drip.
The layout was inspired by this week’s Friday Sketchers. The orange flowers were in a prize from The Stamp Shoppe. I used them all up on this card, but I felt it needed lots of flowers to go with the patterned paper. The brads I just bought, they’re flocked! So the flowers have fuzzy little centres.
0
comments
I have to say, I kept thinking of Zoolander while colouring this image. The Greeting Farm is giving away free digital stamps in a relay-style thing. You get one, make a card with it, and if you post it by the deadline, you get the next image. As my work is crazy, I don’t think I’ll get all of them, but I’ll manage to get the first 3. This is #1, Mer-Ian.
I used another new border punch on this card – it’s bubbles! I didn’t want too much contrast, so I backed it with a pale green, but it looked good with dark blue too. It was a hard choice.
I put some Stickles glitter glue on his tail, to make it look scaly and shiny.
This marks the first time I’ve ever used a digital stamp! It took a few tries to make my printer print it nicely. I wish I’d had the time to take it somewhere to photocopy it – apparently toner doesn’t smudge with Copics. Ink jet (at least my printer) does, but it is only noticeable with very pale colours, like his skin.
I took an in-progress shot of how I coloured his sea weed-y hair:
This picture was taken before I did any blending. You can see the band of white I left for the highlight. I colour over this while blending, but that way it only has one layer of colour, making it lighter than the rest.
1
comments
I decided it was time to put down the Magnolia stamps – I love them so much I could work with only them, which isn’t so great for variety. I also just bought the most wonderful border punch from Michaels, and had to use it.
I based this card on the sketch from Sketch Saturday this week. I wanted a sentiment that said something about family, but I don’t have an appropriate one, so I left it blank. Blank cards are more useful, anway!
Simon Says Stamp wants you to use a punch (or many!) this week – this beautiful one is called Moroccan Lace, and is an EK Success punch. I even used it to make the little corners! And while I’m not eligible to win a prize (didn’t use one of their stamps, because I don’t own any! yet.) Kraftin’ Kimmie stamps has challenged everyone to make a card with no embellishments. I don’t usually go to crazy with that stuff anyway though. 
The stamp I bought from Local King Rubber Stamps when they were at the big craft fair here in November. It came in a set with lots of great safari animals that I’m looking forward to using.
I have also decided to start selling some cards in my Etsy shop! I love making them, but if I don’t sell them, they’ll pile up faster than I can send them. I’ve got a couple listed so far, and have made a Rycrafty Paper Goods section for the store. I’m not too concerned about recouping the money spent on supplies – I love doing it. It’ll be nice to know they are going to be sent, and to have a few extra dollars for more paper. I mean Copics. I mean for the Visa.
2
comments
Another pink card with a heart! It’s that time of year, I guess. Not sure what I’m going to do with all these cards I’m making – I don’t correspond with enough people to use them all up. I also have a pile of Christmas cards that never got used, because P never sent out cards to his family. oops!
I’m thinking maybe putting them up in my Etsy store – although I’m undecided as to whether I should just put them up with the stitch markers, or start a new store…
For a different look, I stamped Tilda with ‘London Fog’ grey ink, and coloured her with pale markers, same with the roses (also a Magnolia stamp).
I dove into my scrap bucket for most of the papers – you can see the flourishes from another stamp peeking out here. I kept the main part pale, but wanted to add a pop with the bright pink ribbon. That ribbon was a freebie in a recent stamp order. I have exciting plans for those stamps that I’ll reveal sometime soon I hope. All the pinks make this card eligible for Magnoli-licious’ Pretty In Pink prize.
I could have masked the rose stamp on to Tilda, but because I have this habit of colouring images first, and making cards later, they are two separate pieces. I stuck them both to the heart frame before sticking the whole thing down with foam tape.
Again, I traced cookie cutters for the heart shapes.
1
comments
After the adventures of yesterday, I needed to make something simple. I decided on a Valentine with un-traditional colours. Magnolia Down Under want to see a Valentine this week, so I used Tilda and put her in a blue dress.
I wanted it to be rich, so I chose a deep purple-y blue for the background. The hearts I made by tracing around some cookie cutters onto the back side of paper, the cutting them out. Tilda’s little corsage is about the same pink as the pink heart. The black and white one is more of that paper I love.
I used Stickles glittler glue to give her some fancy diamond earrings, and you can’t really see it, but I put Glossy Accents on her shoes to make them shiny.
6
comments
So yesterday, my only day off in the week, I decided I needed to drive my car. I haven’t moved my car since before Christmas, but the past few days have mostly melted the snowbank it was hiding in. I got it out, and realised one tire was a bit flat. Drove to the nearest gas station, filled it up with air, then off to the tire place. Tire place fixed it, but it took long enough that I didn’t get other errands done that I wanted to.
Later that night, off to a friend’s house for dinner. When we’re leaving, we were on our way to look after P’s mum who had just had cataract surgery. P’s stepdad couldn’t, because his mother just passed away the day before, and he was on a plane to Nova Scotia. So, leaving the friend’s house at 10:30pm, and there’s a funny noise. Another, different tire was flat. Like, dead flat. Like had to change out to the spare type of flat.
Drove home on the donut, P got his car, we drove to the tire place and stuck the key to my car in the drop box. Then we drove up to P’s parent’s house.
At much to early in the morning this morning, we were all in the car to take P’s mum to her follow-up appointment. My cell phone rings, and it’s the tire place. The key I left them (the one I use all the time) is apparently cracked, and they don’t want to try to unlock the car, in case it breaks off in the lock. Could I get them another one, and then they can work on the car?
Not impressed.
0
comments
The challenge over at Simon Says Stamp is ‘Shabby Chic’. I also decided to give myself a challenge of using I stamp that I haven’t ever used yet.
In my mind, shabby chic generally involves a lot more pastels and lace, but buttons and a woodgrain are definitely part of the aesthetic. I have been hanging on to that button-print paper for so long, I decided it was time I finally used it. The stamp is a mini Edwin that was part of the Winter 2009 Magnolia Stamp club. I didn’t want stark white on this card, so I stamped him in Rich Cocoa Memento ink on to some kraft paper.
This is actually from a kraft envelope – I wanted some kraft card bases, so I bought some the last time I was at Michaels. I bought flat cards by accident, so I’ve been using those up like they were regular cardstock. Now I have a pack of 10 envelopes to use up too!
I crumpled, ripped, and tore the diagonal panel, then glued it to a rectangle of white-with-red-dots paper that I’d already distressed with Tea Dye Distress Ink. Then I inked the button panel. The horizontal button panel I bent over the edge of my desk, then rubbed it with a nail file. I did that a few times at random angles to get those lines. Then I got out the makeup sponge and ink again (can you tell I stopped by Shoppers Drug Mart on my way home from work for some craft supplies?).
All the patterned paper is from Recollections – the button one is actually from a sock monkey series of papers. I just bought the buttons though. The real buttons are from my stash, and are tied with some sock yarn scraps. Sock yarn because I can’t find my cross stitch kit at the moment…. I really need a craft room with lots of desks and even more shelves.
2
comments
One of my favourite paper packs is Die Cuts With a View’s ‘Old World’ stack. I love the colours, the style of the prints, the slightly faded quality they have, everything. I got a chance to use two different papers from the stack on this card.
You can’t see a lot of the grey patterned paper – I have some leftovers to use on another card though, so I’ll make sure it is all visible on that one. The pink and grey colour scheme is from Cute Card Thursday’s challenge, and the sketch is from Papertake Weekly.
I coloured this stamp entirely with grey Copic markers. I used all the ones I have: C00, C1, C3, C5.
Work has been pretty crazy recently, but we’ve started working 12-8 instead of 10-6, so I actually have some daylight hours in the morning when I can take photos! Hopefully no more ’sitting on the laptop’ shots for a while. I haven’t managed many more rows on my toe socks. I’m thinking I might make finishing them, and my Druid mittens my project for the Knitting Olympics.
I’m hoping to have lots of Olympic knitting time, because the Olympics are Feb 12-28, and as of Feb 13, all my shows are open, and I don’t have to be at work until 6pm each day.
0
comments
I made this card for Penny Black Challenge #83. It was a bit of a challenge for me, because I don’t generally do a lot of layers on cards, but this was a sketch challenge, and the sketch clearly showed many layers.
A lot of the time I don’t quite measure when I’m cutting my paper. For stuff like those panels that have the small border, I usually eyeball it. I measured this time, and it’s all nice and even! Fancy that! I should stop being so lazy.
The ribbon is a brighter pink than the paper, which I think adds a nice pop. The background layer, and the one under the bunny is some handmade paper. The tag called it ‘grass seed paper’. It’s got a wonderful soft texture. I ruffled the edges of the circle under the rabbit a little too for more texture.
I coloured the stamp with my Copic markers, using Cool Greys for the rabbit, and Warm Grey for the hat.
I managed to make the horizontal panel out of the scraps left from cutting the vertical panels out of 8×8 paper. It’s actually two separate pieces sticking out from under!
2
comments
I tweaked the weekly sketch (#85) over at Sketch Saturday to come up with this card:
The stamp is from Impression Obsession, and I think it is so cute. The first thing I wanted to do with it was paper piecing, but I also wanted to see what it would look like kept sophisticated and simple.
The red background paper is from my Christmas stash! I’m going to see how much of that I can use up this year so I can buy new next year. The paper lace was inspired by this tutorial, and is from scrap Core’dinations cardstock, as is the mat under the stamped image.
I grabbed this piece of white paper from the place I throw all my Copic-safe paper scraps. I stamped 4 images until I got one just right, then played with colouring different parts of the hearts. On one of this mis-stamps, I thought I’d see how it looked if I coloured the birds yellow. My Y02 looked very odd, so I turned the paper over and realised I’d stamped on the back of some dark brown patterned paper! Luckily, nothing bled through just using red.
The embroidered paper is handmade stuff I found in a pack at my LSS.
0
comments
Cute card Thursday’s challenge this week is for ‘new’. For this card, I used my new favourite technique of making a paper ‘quilt’ out of my scraps, and I used YR04 for Tilda’s orange dress and kerchief, which is one of my newest Copic markers.
The deckle-edged card base is one of the very oldest crafty things I have in the house – I went through all my craft supplies a while ago, seeing what I could steal for cardmaking, and I remember making cards with these bases in the house I grew up in. We moved from there in 1999! The matching envelopes had sealed themselves just, they probably got damp in some storage space sometime between then and now.
0
comments
I rarely colour my images the same day I make my cards. Most evenings after work I’m too tired to do much more than colour and cut out. It’s great for quick gifts, because I can just pull an image out of the little bowl and throw a card or tag together.
I had St. Patrick’s day in mind when I coloured this Tilda, but decided that she’d make a nice birthday card. It’s also Birthday week at The Pink Elephant, so it works with that challenge!
I stamped the Kraft background with one of the many stamps from that giant lot (Frank B. Mullett – Salal Branch) and used Oatmeal VersaMagic ink.
I pleated some patterned paper from a fall/thanksgiving pack from Making Memories, because that’s the monthly challenge at Just Magnolia this month. The little circle is some handmade paper I bought at my LSS – the pattern is shiny and raised up. It’s too deep to just be embossing powder – it’s almost like Glossy Accents glue, painted silver.
I found the ribbon in a bin at Michaels – it’s my favourite colour, and one of the most useful sentiments, I think! I also distressed the pleats a little with Gingerbread Versamagic ink. I just love the texture this card has in person.
And if anyone is looking for a chance at a little freebie – check out the blog candy at Cats Whiskers.
1
comments
New business cards for my Etsy store arrived yesterday, which meant I could finish packaging up this bulk order!
It’s going in the mail on Monday, so if you’re in Austin, check in at the Knitting Nest in a couple weeks to see if you can spot them in the wild!
0
comments
Generally, my job is 6 days a week. That’s a lot, and doesn’t leave me with nearly as much crafting time as I want. Length of work day changes in phases, during rehearsals it’s almost like office hours: 9am-6pm. When we’re teching a show (working on stage, adding in lights and sound, set and costumes) it’s 12-hour days that end at midnight. When the show is running is my most productive time, craft-wise. When work starts at 6pm, there’s lots of crafty time during the day! 8 shows a week also usually works out to about 32 hours of work, which is a nice rest after some of the 60 hour weeks. Working in theatre is not the lazy job most people think it is!
I’m in the rehearsal phase right now, which means I usually have about one project in me when I get home from work. Between knitting, stamping, baking, and reading I have lots to choose from, and not enough time to do everything I wanted. Tonight, I managed two tasks – baking banana bread and rearranging our books and bookcases. It doesn’t help that today is day #8 of 9 straight work days. Our schedule got messed up because of the holidays.
So, no projects, but there is an announcement! The Daily Marker has some great blog candy up for grabs. Go over and have a look – it is all stuff from Hero Arts’ new release, and looks wonderful.
0
comments
This is another stamp from the 2009 Winter Magnolia club kit. I think this Tilda is great for any occasion!
The rusty-looking cardstock is from DCWV’s Old World 8×8 pack, and I have to say that I love every single paper in there. I almost want to buy another one. I’ll restrain myself though.
The hearts in the background are a gorgeous stamp from the Old Island Stamp Co. I love their stamps, and especially this one – it’s just perfect for that holiday coming up…. I went rustic with it here, but it could be very fancy done with different papers, maybe some embossing powder. I think I’m going to use it a lot.
I stamped ‘LOVE’ from a Local King stamp set on white paper, the glued it to a similar but more purple paper from the same pack. Then I covered it all in a generous splodge of Glossy Accents. Once it dried I cut the whole thing out and glued it on here.
I coloured Tilda’s dress & shoes with R24, R27, and RV17, and put Glossy Accents on her shoes too.
0
comments
