Second Term

I am happy to announce that I've been brought back to the world of Sketches: Creatively Yours for a second term. I'm pleased as punch to be back for a second consecutive term.

I'm excited to work alongside friends both old and new yet again. It's a comfortable feeling to know what's expected and very exciting to know that the level of inspiration will be so high.

Please follow along with us while we create over the next several months, I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself and be inspired to create!

The Board

I have been making these ATCs almost as regularly as I scrap or make cards. They were piling up with no place to go. I hadn't made them a storage box yet and they were falling out of the nooks I kept tucking them into.

Until I had an idea.

I would take them to work and decorate my space. All I needed was a length of wire and some mini-clothespins - oh, and some push pins.

I coiled the wire and then pulled it straight, keeping a bit of the wave (you don't have to do this part). I then made a loop at one end (to put the pushpin through later) and started threading the wire through the spring-hole of the clothespin. I determined the length of my first row and how many clothespins I would want on this row. Then I made another loop. I put the wire on my cubical wall and then stretched a short length of wire to the next row (allowing room for the clothespin and a card) and continued forming rows until my wire ran out.

The fun part was putting the cards up, it can be rearranged, added to and taken from, and it has been the object of much admiration by my coworkers.

Annabelle and Julian were even thrilled to see their pictures there when they came to visit me at work last week.

March Finale

The term is coming to a close at Sketches: Creatively Yours -- who would believe it's gone by so quickly??

I had 2 projects debut there over the last 10 days. I have been so busy that I kept forgetting! Luckily I didn't forget to do them and send them along, I just forgot they were posted!

 The first was posted last Saturday:

The "Elephant Zoo"

I switched Ali's sketch up a bit to work this one. I turned the sketch clockwise 90 degrees and trimmed my enlarged photo in strips to fill in the vertical length. I then rotated and angled my journaling area. I used the Hambly Elephant overlay as my decorative element and border.

The small photo was added with a pink camouflage ribbon bit just so that the uninterrupted image could be seen and admired.

Our local zoo is referred to as the "Elephant Zoo" because of this large sculpture of a tribal elephant. It's important to Annabelle that we distinguish our zoo from the small petting zoo with this name :)

This second creation was posted on Friday:

Happy Birthday (Mary)

It's March and thoughts of Green abound. From St. Patrick's Day to the longing for warmth and new growth, I moved from my vast amount of Pink creations to a comfortable and relaxing green.

I was late for my sister's birthday but it's a good thing or she could have gotten caught up in the Pinkness that I was enveloped in this past February.

I used any green or neutral scraps that I could find on my desk. This included an unused piece of gift-tissue. I embellished this simple card with a rescued bit of natural ribbon and an egg-carton flower. I had seen the information on these and they'd stuck in my head. I love doing them, they're so pretty. When I sent it in to Ali at S:CY; she told me where I had gotten the idea... from HER!! Oh MY! I looked at so many flower tutorials, which I didn't save anyplace but in my head. I'm not surprised I forgot. If you're interested in Egg Carton Flowers - go here!

So, there you have it. My final projects for my Term with Sketches: Creatively Yours. Thank you for following along and for all of your comments and support!

A Card for a Departing Manager

My bestie asked me to make a card for her boss, who was leaving their department for another. She's worked with this boss for 4 years and when I asked what she liked, I stumped my friend.

I finally got out of her that this lady likes the outdoors, camping, etc. That's ok, but doesn't really give me a lot to go on where a handcrafted card is concerned. I figured I'd go with natural textures, and keep the "fancy" stuff to a minimum.

As I rummaged through my scraps, I was starting to give up on my supplies when I found the Cosmo Cricket "Gretel" scraps. Particularly the strip that says "If nothing ever changed, there'ld be no butterflies" Change is precisely what this card is celebrating so I had my jumping off point.

I found a MM butterfly in a brighter version of blue and added some cut-out elements from one of the "Gretel" scraps to add depth and detail.

The pearl embellishments were an afterthought but the colors were perfect.

When I got up this morning, I decided I wanted a replica or reminder of this lovely card so I used some of the scraps, another Making Memories butterfly and the remains of the pearl bits from last night to make this sweet little ATC.

It was a hit at my work and looks sweet on display on my wall.

The card for my friend's boss was also a hit.

I love when things work out that way.

Greenie Day Revisited

Repost from 2009

Happy St. Pat's!

Mimi, my grandma, used to call it "Greenie Day" and she would show me this lovely shamrock pin. It never had the tag removed until I got her jewelry. I now wear it every "Greenie Day" to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and to remember my grandma.

I hope you remember to wear your green and if you don't, I hope you don't get too many unwelcome pinches ;)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

and...

(new for 2010-courtesy of my cousin Jeremy via Facebook) "When we drink, we get drunk. When we get drunk, we fall asleep. When we fall asleep, we commit no sin. When we commit no sin, we go to heaven. So, let's all get drunk, and go to heaven! HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!! ERIN GO BRAGH!!!"

You're Gonna Want This (Blog Candy and A Call...) Info

It's time for some Blog Candy over at Sketches: Creatively Yours. Just go to this topic and post a comment by Thursday, March 18th to be entered in a drawing for some Savvy N Sassy ribbon. To get another ballot in the drawing just create and share a card using the sketch shown.

Also, don't miss the chance to apply for the Sketches; Creatively Yours Design Team. You can read the details here.

You're sure to have as much fun as I have if you're chosen. Good Luck!

Hope it Makes'em Happy - Mail

Who doesn't love to get mail? I don't mean junk mail or bills, but "someone thought of me" mail? I figured my niece and nephew would love to get some mail of their own, so I made them each a card and tucked a package of stickers (Mickey Mouse for Julian and Princess Tiana for Annabelle) inside.

For Julian's card, I went all BLUE because he loves all things blue, it's his "favorite". So I pulled out a bunch of blue scraps and a blue smiley.

The smiley sticker is from my friend Heather, I knew one day I would use it :) The chipboard shape is Making Memories, as are the star brads. The elephant print paper is Basic Grey Marrakesh The measuring tape paper is from a cheapie paper pack I got at Big Lots!  The card blank is an Avery (i think?) printable card that I've had for several years. 

For Belle, I started with purple, because it is her current favorite. I added a piece rescued from a Snow White dress-up costume package. Snow White is her current favorite princess.

I used Making Memories patterned paper and Bazzill cardstock on another Avery card blank.

The cut-out paisley is from a DCWV Once Upon a Time piece of paper and the "Princess" Chipboard is from Sandylion.

Snow White was cut out of a packaging/hanger from a Snow White dress-up costume.

I hear they got their mail and were VERY HAPPY!! :)

It's Sketches Time Again

I had so much fun (once again) using the sketch for my DT assignment for Sketches: Creatively Yours. This sketch was for a card, it's by the talented Ann Seleshanko.

The card was one of my "raisin box rescues". There are some fun Mickey Mouse fruit snacks with comics on the single-serve boxes. I have been hoarding the comics for just such a project as this.

This one was made with several green items, part of some packaging was used both for the background and for the brown pinked square around the comic strip.

I love Donald Duck!

Supplies:

Card blank (local craft store)
Gingham paper: CTMH *scraps
Green cardstock: Imaginesce packaging
Kraft cardstock: gift tag packaging
MM ribbon / unknown rickrack
Sketch: Sketches: Creatively Yours

Best Vacation Ever?

I've been on a trip recently. A trip down Memory Lane.

This past Thanksgiving my sister Leah was in town. She asked for some photos from when she was living with us here in Utah. I made an earnest promise that I would get the photos down and scan them. I meant it, and I was going to do so. But I didn't.

Recently Leah contacted me and asked if I could look for some older pictures as well and I felt pretty lame about not even pulling the photo box off the shelf yet so, rather than make another earnest promise that would be shelved for months more, I made a point of getting the box down, taking it to work with me so that I could go through the photos on my breaks. This was a nice past-time since I had no book to read - which is my usual breaktime activity. I found good shots, cute shots and some cute-not-so-good shots. You know, adorable and priceless pictures that had terrible lighting problems.

I was happy to get started scanning, now that the pictures were out and in my head and heart and hands. I tried to hook up my scanner, but even though it was practically new, it was older than my newer Laptop computer... so it was not compatible. Yikes, what on earth would I do? Then I remembered that Cindy's mom's all-in-one was newer so I was able to borrow that and hook it up. I sat and watched the Olympics' Open Ceremonies, and Scanned. Then I took a 2 week break.

When I was invited to my Uncle Hondo's house for dinner, I realized I had a great chance to get the photos to Leah so I spent all morning Saturday scanning the rest of the pictures. I did a lot of tweaking of the old, poorly lit, grainy, small originals and got a bunch of printable and a few questionable images. They're my childhood... I remember so many events surrounding these images, my sisters, fighting, singing, playing, going places, visiting with Grandparents. In one of these pictures my sisters and I are playing in the front yard with cardboard box kitchen appliances. In another, my beloved bicycle is in the background, humble and homely and still fondly remembered. There was the "photo op box" at Mimi's apartment, that big green utility box that probably shouldn't be played on but we played on and around it... every time. A picture of the three girls (pre-baby sisters) with Grandma, we're all wearing our "Reno" tees that Grandma and Grandpa brought with them.

We had some crappy times, but we had some good times too. It amazes me how much more of the good I can remember when I see these beloved images.