Good Tuesday morning!  I hope you had a great weekend and your week has started off good!  I spent Saturday with my mom, aunt and sister.  We went to Hodgenville to visit my uncle and check on things there.  After lunch we were going back through the town square and there was a little shop that I had never been in before.  We stopped and oh my gosh . . . what a great place.  No, I don’t remember the name BUT we are planning on going back this coming Saturday and I’ll find out then.  I might even remember to take my camera and get some pictures!

My project today is a sample for the class I’ll be teaching next month and is a work in progress.  We’ll be seeing this change over the next few days and I thought it would be fun to watch the transformation.

I’m not too sure about the round flower on the bottom and that’s probably going to be the first thing that goes.  I’m still looking at it trying to decide.  I’m also not too sure about the colors, but they do happen to be my favorite combination.   What do you think . . . is this something you would like to make in a class?

Happy Monday!  WOW I can’t believe that I finished this project today.  I’ve had this vision in my head for some time . . . months and months . . . if not longer.  I might have jumped the gun here too, because I don’t know that this project will ever truly be complete.  I think it’s one of those things that will be added to on a continual basis, particularly if I find just that perfect piece of memorabilia.

So are you ready to see what I’ve spent the last 4 days working on?  I’ll even tell you what that green goop is in the jar too!  You have to keep in mind that this piece is for me . . . my inspiration!  It’s hanging in the studio right now and as I look straight ahead from the computer I can see it.  I think I’ll leave it right where it is . . . I am so excited with the way it turned out.  Why I’m almost breaking my arm trying to pat myself on the back!

My Inspiration Canvas!

A closer look.

I’ve had this canvas stored in the closet for probably a year or more.  When they have them at Big Lots for a couple of bucks I always pick up a couple just to have around.  To start off, I covered the canvas with 3 coats of gesso.  The last coat was mixed with Peeled Paint Distress Ink . . . the green goop in the jar!  I needed water quickly, grabbed the first jar nearby and poured in some water.  There you have it . . . green goop!  I used one of the Tim Holtz masks and a stencil from Tattered Angels and laid them across the canvas.  Using Copic Markers, I airbrushed over the mask/stencils until I was satisfied with the color of the canvas.  Aged Mahogany Distress Ink was sponged around the edges.    The letters are Grunge Board that were painted black and then covered with Rock Candy Distress Stickles.

The flowers are Grunge Paper covered with Graphic 45 paper and then die cut with Spellbinders Blossom Nestabilities and Flower Creations 3.  The edges of each individual layer were sponged with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

I added some Tim Holtz idea-ology embellishments through out the flowers for more inspiration.  I also had some clock keys and a pocket watch from things of the grandfather’s.  They were added just because!  I left chains long so that I could add more to them eventually.

The word Believe and the leaf stems are the only stamps I used.

• Stamps:  From the Garden by Fancy Pants Designs and Vendy Vechi Studio 490 - Ticket to Art from Stampers Anonymous
• Paper:  Botanicabella Collection from Graphic 45
• Ink:  Ranger Vintage Photo, Aged Mahogany, Old Paper, Peeled Paint and Black Soot Distress Ink
• Accessories:  Spellbinders S4-192 Blossom Nestabilities and S4-109HL Flower Creations 3; Tim Holtz idea-ology Swivel Clasps, Hitch Fastener, Jump Rings, Trinket Pins, Muse Tokens, Game Spinners, Safety Pin, Sprocket Gears, Philosophy Tags, Word Keys, Grunge Paper, Grunge Board elements and mixed minis, Book Plates; Ranger Snow Cap and Pitch Black Acrylic Paint Dabbers, Matte Accents, Picket Fence Distress Crackle Paint, Rock Candy Distress Stickles, Claudine Hellmuth Studio multi-medium matte; Tsukineko Sponge Daubers; Gesso; Upholstery Tacks; Glue Gun, Vintage Buttons; Papertrey Rustic Cream Button Twine

Well, that’s all folks!  Have a fabulous day and thanks for stopping by!

Day 3 of the Process!

More mess

I don’t normally work like this

Can’t find my desk

At least the floor is clean now

Good Saturday morning and Happy World Card Making Day!  I’ll be participating in a few challenges today and having some fun stamping the day away.  I’ve already forewarned Mr. Stodgy that I’ll be in the studio as much as possible today.

Thanks for all the input on the paper!  I’m not surprised that so many of you recommended Gina K. and Papertrey.  What I was looking for was a great colored cardstock and I have decided to go with Papertrey.  I ordered all of it a few days ago and am patiently waiting for it to arrive . . .  okay not so patiently.  I use Neenah for my white and will continue to do so, but I did order some white and cream to have around.  I still have a boatload of Prism and will be looking to fill in some of the colors that I’m out of.  I’ve got a lead on Prism paper, but need to follow up and when I get the link, I’ll let you know!

Last night I was here in the studio putzing around, catching up with blogs on Google Reader, playing games, etc., and suddenly decided what I needed to make.  I’ve had some of Tim Holtz’s Seasonal Grunge Board for some time now.  Actually I think I got it when it first came out and then he gave us some more in a class at CHA.  I’ve looked at it all week trying to decide how to incorporate it into a Halloween card.  Well, I finally figured it out!  I went to Splitcoaststampers’ Resource Section and found Beate’s great tutorial on creating a Stair Step Fold Card.  I’ve been wanting to try this style of card for some time!

There’s no stamping on this card, but I’m very pleased with it nonetheless and will keep it setting out over the next couple of months.  I’ll then add it to my Halloween decorations.

Even though Beate’s tutorial did not call for a back on the card, I added one to it.  I wanted the grunge board house to have a background that looked like a spooky sky.  While I was working on the card and trying to decide what to do with the background, I saw Heidi Blankenship’s latest post on using Tattered Angels Glimmer Screens with the Spellbinders Wizard.  Luckily I just purchased some Glimmer Screens while at the Cincinnati Stampaway Show, and tried it!  Wow what a fabulous result and one that I will use over and over again!  I was given a sample of Raven Glimmer Mist at CHA and used that to spray on the background.  The house, bats and cat were painted with black paint and then covered with Rock Candy Distress Stickles.  The sentiments and pumpkins in the back are from My Mind’s Eye The Spider Web.  I cut the sentiments from one of the pieces of paper and took a section of the pumpkin page and glued it to plain Grunge Board.

• Paper:  My Mind’s Eye – The Spider’s Web; Mini Manila Tag; Basic Black
• Ink:  Ranger Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Black Soot and Vintage Photo Distress
• Accessories:  Ranger Pitch Black Acrylic Paint Dabber, Matte Accents, Rock Candy Distress Stickles, Claudine Hellmuth Studio Matte Multi-Medium; Tim Holtz idea-ology Seasonal and Plain Grunge Board; Tattered Angels Glimmer Screens – Fanciful Stencils and Raven Glimmer Mist; Tsukineko Sponge Daubers; Ribbon

I guess that’s all I have for the moment, but I’m sure I’ll have more for you later tonight.  I hope you have a fabulous day and thanks stopping by!

WOW . . . it’s !  Where is this week going?  Okay so maybe I don’t remember what I did during the first few days of the week . . .

Before I get started on my project for today, let me answer a few questions about the products I use.  I get my May Arts Ribbon from Sharon Johnson’s store, Stamp Simply Ribbon.  She told me last night if she doesn’t stock what you are looking for, she will special order!  All the Ranger product I use, including both T!m and Wendy’s stamps, can be found at eclectic Paperie.  Joy and Daisy are fabulous and so very helpful.  Everything is stocked and they have a quick turn around time.

Now I have a question for you!  Paper?  What do you use?  I have both SU and Prism and know that I won’t be purchasing any more SU.  That leaves the Prism which I find matches BasicGrey DP fabulously, but it is rather flimsy for a card base.  If you use Prism, where do you purchase it?  I’m seriously thinking of switching over to Papertrey.  If you use the paper from Papertrey what do you think about it?

Now that all that is over with, questions answered and if I forgot any that you’ve asked, please let me know.   I try to answer each individual email you send, but sometimes it’s not always possible to get to them as quickly as I would like and then I forget to answer.

Now!  How many of you love the movie Hook?  It’s one of my favorites!  You know how there are certain scenes in movies that you always think of.  Like in the Color Purple, I will sit and watch the entire movie just to see Shug Avery walk her stuff down the road to the church, singing God’s Trying to Tell you Something.  I LOVE that scene!  In Hook, it’s the boo box!  When Glenn Close is placed in the boo box and the look on her face  . . . well it just slays me every time!  So, since it’s that time of the year for Halloween (which is one of my faves to decorate for), I’ve made a Boo Box!

I bought a candle not too long ago that was in this fabulously sturdy box and the lid slides down inside.  I kept the box thinking it would come in handy at some time or another.  While I was making Halloween cards, and thinking about the girls, I decided that treat boxes might be in order.  It will be so easy to slide some the girls fave chocolate in this box!

I had one sheet of Lollipop Lizzy DP and used that covered the box.  All the edges were sponged with Black Soot Distress Ink.  I circled the box with a purple band and tied some ribbon.  I love watching ribbon melt, and used my candle lighter to melt the ribbon to give it a spookier look.  The boo label was die cut/embossed using Spellbinders oval nestabilities.  Since the paper had little skulls on it, I found a small grunge board skull, painted it white and then covered it with Rock Candy stickles.  Way too much fun!

• Stamps:  Just Between Fiends
• Paper:  Hallowhimsy – Lollipop Lizzy from imaginisce; White and Black
• Ink:  Ranger Archival Jet Black and Black Soot Distress
• Accessories:  Ranger White Paint Dabber; Spellbinders S4-141 Petite Scalloped Ovals – Small, and S4-138 Petite Ovals – Large; Tsukineko Sponge Daubers; Tim Holtz idea-ology Elements Grunge Board; May Arts Ribbon and twine; Scalloped Border Punch; Buttons; Candle Lighter; Foam Tape

Oh my gosh, I’m done and it’s time to start my day!  It’s not like I didn’t get up at 4:30 this morning.   I’ve already folded one load of laundry, put in another, written this post, and took the photos.  Anyhoo, have a fantastic day and thanks for stopping in!