Good morning! I must apologize for the lack of posts recently and my inability to stamp. It’s been very hectic around the Cheever Household over the last few weeks and just when I thought things were going to ease up, we had another setback. Late last Thursday night we received a phone call that my mother-in-law had collapsed at church. While I made a pot of coffee and a go cup for Mr. Stodgy, he was getting dressed and heading out the door. It is a four-hour drive to where he had to go, and minutes meant a great deal at that time. Unfortunately my mother-in-law passed away early Friday morning, but all her boys were able to be by her side thank goodness. Today we will be celebrating her life and how she touched everyone she came in contact with. If you think of us today, think only happy thoughts . . . that’s what my mother-in-law would have wanted. She loved life and was always available with a helping hand and a kind word. I am so grateful this marvelous woman was a part of our lives!
Now let me get to my project for today. Last week I mentioned that I had been working on a special project. Beate Johns asked me to write a tutorial for Splitcoaststampers on how I make my snowflake medallions. I also had to do my first video so please be understanding when you watch it. Quite frankly I like videos but have been scared to do my own. Now that the jitters have been abated, I’m sure I’ll be doing more!
Paper:BasicGrey Figgy; Prism Baby Blue Light, Papertrey Rustic Cream and Ripe Avocado; Neenah Classic Crest Solar White
Ink:Ranger Distress Embossing and Old Paper; Papertrey Fresh Snow
Accessories:Spellbinders™ S4-222 Create a Flake 1, S4-139 Petite Scalloped Ovals - Large, S4-138 Petite Ovals - Large, and S4-174 Petite 5-1/2″ Deckled Scalloped Borderabilities; Sewing Machine; Ranger Glossy Accents and Broken China Distress Embossing Powder; Art Institute Vintage Glass Glitter; Tsukineko Sponge Daubers; Vintage Buttons; Craft Wire; Mounting Tape; May Arts Ribbon
Here’s my first video . . . please be kind!
I hope you have a great day and thanks for stopping by!
I can’t believe it’s Friday already! I don’t have any big plans for the weekend and if the weather is still blechy here I’m hoping to be in the studio! So far it looks pretty promising . . . but I am a little tired of the rain.
Yesterday when I was writing my post I told you I got a little sidetracked. I found the most awesome site for Edgar Allan Poe . . . PoeStories.com. If you are a fan like I am, this is the site for you. I’ve been able to re-read stories I read as a child and refresh my memory on a lot of his works.
The reason I was searching yesterday was because I wanted a copy of The Black Cat. Of course, I needed it for a card . . .
I printed it off after I changed up some fonts and then distressed it with Old Paper Distress Ink. The tag was made with the Wrinkle Free Distress Technique using Weathered Wood, Vintage Photo and Spiced Marmalade. The grunge board flourishes were covered with Spiced Marmalade Distress Stickles and the numbers with Rock Candy. The cat was embossed with Black Soot Distress embossing powder.
The other day my friend, Janine Tinklenberg, reminded me with this post, that I haven’t done a twisted and/or demented card in a very long time. I’ve been thinking about it, set out a few stamps with ideas in the back of head for them, but truly did not feel inspired until yesterday!
I hit the road early yesterday morning visiting my LSS and then a quick hop into Hobby Lobby. I still haven’t made it to Archiver’s, but it’s on the list! While in my LSS I spied a small, unobtrusive wooden stamp sitting on a shelf . . . . just a little over an inch square, from Inky Antics. It was my inspiration for today’s card! Oh yes, you’ll soon see why I just HAD to HAVE this sentiment . . .
Upon returning home I found the appropriate stamp to coordinate with the sentiment and started working. I didn’t finish this card until this morning, and I can’t wait to post it for you.
Is she good, or is she bad?
I would give a description, but quite honestly I think the card just says it all! Here’s the inside. The top portion was computer generated!
I had a few minutes this weekend to do some fun stamping. All of a sudden I’m in the mode to do Halloween cards, but when I recently organized all my stamps . . . Well I truly don’t have all that many and had to go shopping!
When I first saw the Tim Holtz set, Spooky Things on the eclectic Paperie site, I knew immediately that I had to have it. The bird in the set was all it took. I have been a fan of Edgar Allan Poe since I was in grade school and to me, the bird appears to be a Raven. I know I had a book at one time with Poe’s works, but I couldn’t find it this past weekend when I was looking for it. So I went to the next best place . . . . Google, found a copy of the Raven online and printed it off onto white cardstock.
The poem eventually became part of the background on this card. Using the Wrinkle-Free Distress Technique, I inked the poem, distressed the edges and it’s now behind the raven. I did the same with the raven, after it had been stamped and cut/embossed with Spellbinders Circle Nestabilities.
Don’t you just love the poison label in this set? This image will get plenty of use around here this Halloween. Using the same distress technique, a small manila tag was inked with Old Paper and Vintage Photo Distress Inks, before the label was stamped. I absolutely love it!
Oh and get the designer paper! My Mind’s Eye The Spider’s Web! I ordered it the same time I did the stamp set and how perfect can it be. The sheet with the large tree . . . well it just jumped right out of the pack, right onto my desk! The perfect backdrop for my raven!
Since I’ve been getting into the habit of finishing the insides of my cards, this one needed an extra special touch.
I can’t wait to send this one out! I already have the perfect recipient . . . someone who had a copy of Poe’s works in her bedroom, just not what I was looking for!
A few years ago, I was a Challenge Chaser. I know some of you know what that means, but many of you probably do not. On Splitcoaststampers there were a large group of us that did the daily challenges. We chatted in the mornings while waiting for the challenge to be posted, getting to know each other and becoming on-line friends. Once the challenge was posted, we scurried off to do our card, posted it, commented on everyone else’s cards and then headed our own ways. We’d start all over the next morning! It was great fun as well as great learning experiences.
I’ve tried to do the daily challenges over the last couple of years, but my schedule or other priorities seemed to keep me from them. One of my favorites was Wednesday’s Sketch Challenge. Today I decided to see what the sketch was and give my hand at it. I don’t remember the challenges being this hard . . . or perhaps my ways of stamping have changed . . . yes that’s it, I’m sure of it.
I struggled with this card today and as I was finishing up, tying the bow and finally getting pictures, it occurred to me that I don’t go by sketches anymore. No wonder this was so difficult today. I just start stamping now, not even thinking about how I’m going to assemble the card until I’m there. It just all flows together and I when I’m finished . . . I get what I get! So, the bottom line . . . if I really want to challenge myself, I need to do more sketch challenges.
The edges of the background papers were sponged with Old Paper Distress Ink, a Gold Paint Dabber was run along the edges and then the paper was all sewn together. The reindeer was embossed with Queen’s Gold Embossing Powder and then die cut with a Spellbinders Square Nestabilities. Old Paper Distress Ink was used to sponge and distress the paper. On the inside of the card the sentiment Merry Christmas was also embossed with the Queen’s Gold.
