Fusion #18 - Hi, Chicka!

 

I have to admit, the new Fusion Challenge was a tough one for me. I wanted to use the photo, without stamping teacups. The patterns on the teacups and pots are fun, but I finally settled on the pattern that is floating around in the middle. It's the round, green, kiwi-looking design that appears twice in the photo below.

That kiwi inspired the arrows I stamped around the sentiment. Originally I stamped them all right from the ink pad, but it looked rather stark. So next time I used generational stamping to get the arrow shapes to stand out more from the dark impressions, yet still fill the circle around with the light impressions. The green was sponged on.

I was inspired to use my label maker by Aga. Her cards always look so fun with labels! Would you believe the label maker is actually my own from the early 80's? I have plenty of tape left over (that still sticks, amazingly!!) because, apparently, even as a child I hoarded craft supplies. I'm better now : )

Come by the Fusion Challenge to see what the other talented ladies created:

Amy Tsuruta

Stacey Schafer

Lyndal Higgins

Lynn Mangan

Geri Freeman

Thanks for looking!
-Kelly

PS. upon looking up the slang word "chicka," I've found that it's a misspelling for the word "chica." After some reflection, and consideration of making another label, I decided that's the beauty of making your own cards. If you and your girlfriend type "chicka" back and forth to each other, you can darn well make a card saying that, and know that it is completely custom for her!

CFC #115 - "You Are Awesome" Leaf

Jackets on the weekend, windows open at night, summer flowers fading in the garden ... it's definitely time for Fall at home! Time for Fall at CAS-ual Fridays as well, as we have a fun challenge to get you in the spirit. The winning card receives a wonderful gift from our sponsor Simon Says Stamp.

Use any combination of Fall colors, and at least one leaf, and you'll fit right in.

The "you are awesome" Dear Lizzy rotary stamp is repeated on the left side of the leaf to mimic the veins in the leaf. I cut out a leaf shape from the greige paper, as well as mat board that is underneath to give it dimension. Does anyone else hate using dimensional tape? I don't like when your panel is squished and you end up with little mountains and valleys. Using a flat, consistent piece of thick mat board seems to work better for me.

Please check out the other examples from our very talented CAS-ual Fridays Design Team, as well as consider entering a card of your own. Hope to see you there!

Thanks for looking!
-Kelly

Happy Birthday to you, Kara!

Surpirse, Kara! Happy birthday : )

Joyce is such a great bloggy friend, organizing a big birthday blog hop for our friend Kara of kandrdesigns.
 

Recently, Kara created this graphic stunner (here is her post, which shows her inspiration piece) and I thought it would be fun to try something like it in honor of her birthday.

After wondering how to get a bow holding the flowers together, it dawned on me to just draw one with the same chalk pencil I used to trace over the "celebrate" stamp. Duh! Sometimes the best solutions are so darn simple. 

Happy Birthday, Kara!!

Your next stop on the hop is Kelly S.. If you're joining in midway, here's the list of birthday well-wishers:

Joyce
Cathy

Christina

Jeanne

Jill

Kelly G. <--you're here

Kelly S.

Kim

Leigh

Lisa

Lynn

Marybeth

Michelle
Nancy

Renee

Sharron

Tracey

Thanks for looking!
- Kelly

CAS-ual Fridays - Yes, I Did Just Grab Your Used Wrapping Paper

It's my day on the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps blog, and this time I'm focusing on the sentiments and letting the DP do much of the remaining work.

This paper is one I hoarded before I was really into card making, and probably embarrassed myself over. It's from our cousin's wedding shower ... and one of the aunts (who is well-known for her ah-mazing presents that take 1/2 hour to open because there are so many) wrapped a present in this hand-printed paper. I couldn't stand to see this beauty lying on the ground, all torn and crumpled. So I dashed into the middle of the circle of guests and grabbed it all. Each and every piece. It was so darn worth it. You should feel how thick it is, with a chalky coating. Mmmmm ...

Since I slacked on the on the pattern part of the card, I did some extra work on the sentiment. It's made from three different sets and masked to break the words up. Some double stamping in a different color and the arrow, helps break it up a little.

Rad, Only You, Exclamations

Paper on this one is from a Dear Lizzy 6x6 pad, and the roses are just cut out. Layer it with the glitter jacks and some rhinestones and it's an embellishment.

The sentiment is from two different sets, they coordinate so well. Love the different fonts together.

Frankly, Exclamations

Thanks so much for looking!
-Kelly

Fusion #17 - An Alternatve to Inktense?

For this week's Fusion Challenge I managed to incorporate both the photo and the sketch. What a great photo, too, so many possibilities in that one!

A little cheeky, so definitely for one of my closer friends! The DPs are a recent purchase from the Scrapbook Expo that I got to hang out at with my crafting partner-in-crime (she even lives behind me, how dangerous is that?!?)

 We took a SEI class, and bought lots of discounted paper!!

Another recent purchase has been the Reeves Water Soluble Wax Pastels. Does anyone use these? I wanted to by some Inktense blocks, but after standing in the aisle looking at its $39.99 price tag, and the $13.99 price tag for the wax pastels, I got the cheaper ones instead. 

They seem to work pretty well so far. Great coverage and really intense colors. I have to think there's a reason they are so much cheaper though. 

Anyway, please stop by the rest of the fabulous Fusion Challenge designers, and hope to see you in the gallery! Remember, it's still a 2 week challenge, so you have plenty of time to cook up something fun!

Amy Tsuruta

Stacey Schafer

Lyndal Higgins

Lynn Mangan

Geri Freeman

Thanks for looking!
-Kelly

CFC114 - Ride On, Little Man + pics

 

Even if you don't have any "school" stamps, this is still a fun challenge to tackle at CAS-ual Fridays. Think math, primary colors, notebook paper, inspirational quotes, anything related to school or learning. Our sponsor is Ellen Hutson, and the winner of this 2 week challenge will receive a $25 gift certificate for whatever awesome new products you've had your eye on!

This one is for my 4th grader, who's been getting frustrated as the work has become more difficult over the years. My sentiment is that even when you feel you've speeding down the road on two wheels, hang in there and "ride on" until all four wheels are back down. I'm sure there's a more eloquent way to say that : )

paper - Indie Chick, My Mind's Eye

washi - Ruler, Studio Calico

stamp - The Paper Company

font - Courier New

sequin stars

Thanks for looking!

-Kelly

PS. Here are some back-to-school pictures. Hard to believe they've been back for two weeks already!

Only picture of the 4th grader ... he darted off to the bus stop right away.

The Kindergartener was much better with tolerating the photos.

I got the range of emotions, from super-excited ...

 

to perhaps a little bit of uncertainty (which is unusual for him). 

Grandma even came for the day!

Snowman Snow Globe

After seeing all those things-under-glass-turned-snow-globe projects that were so popular in magazines and Pinterest last year, I thought I'd try my hand at making one for the Moxie Fab World Holiday Decor Challenge.

 

The large bubble label die makes an easy snowman when you cut off the bottom portion (check out Dana's fun snowman too!) This guy is a layer of chipboard* sandwiched with felt on each side so he's pretty sturdy. In between the felt layers I glued branches from a Memory Box die for the arms. His scarf is from a vintage (1970's) piece of material.

*actually it's a piece of a fast food drink holder box painted white to match the felt

For the bottom I was picturing some wispy cotton with that big, chunky, vintage glitter. However, 1) I couldn't find the cotton; and 2) I couldn't find the big, chunky, vintage glitter. When I unpack the Christmas boxes it will appear. So for now, I have the bottom as a balled up Kleenex, covered in batting, with some wimpy glitter that would not shake too well sprinkled on top. It's a place-holder.

The snowman is able to sit on the hill because I left an end of the middle chipboard layer extend beyond the snowman die cut. That extension is slid through a slit cut in the batting. Then I split that extension in two and spread it out underneath the batting to allow the snowman to stand.

The lid of my snow globe, which in a previous life was a salsa jar, is spray painted in silver and screwed back onto the glass. A bow I saved from a present last year finishes it all off. Love making projects from scraps around the house!

Thanks so much for looking!

-Kelly