New cards....

I have been busy working working and working on a surprise for someone. I took some down time last night and whipped up two cards.

Before I get to that...I saw a card on Scrap Bitz blog and....as I had just picked up the Karen Lockhart stamp she used it was a perfect opportunity to make a card for dad and get it mailed off to him.

I found a poem on the internet from a daughter to her father and I used it to make my own background paper. I love the English leather-like paper and the royal blue is a glorious colour. I used Diamond Glaze over the ocean to give it some gloss, used Stickles (for the first time ever - hoarder!) on the sun rays and, after a quick trip to the fabric store...twill ribbon.

I am so proud of my colouring (thanks Suzanne Dean for your Copic Class) and how this card turned out. Dad called and he was really touched.



Now, for the other two cards! One is for a friend's daughter who is finally pregnant. I waited until I knew everything is just fine and in her third trimester (no tempting fate here). I found a tutorial on the internet how to get perfect circles and this card just blossomed from there.

This one I found on the internet and fell in love with the simple, but elegant, design of it.

Last night a friend asked me why wasn't I on Etsy and selling my cards. I told her I can't sell my cards. 99.9% of the time they are "cased" (seeing someone else's work on the internet...falling in love with it... and copying/modifying it a bit for personal use). I know of some people whose cards are being sold as that person's idea and I find this practice totally reprehensible.

I am so brain-dead when it comes to having an original idea. I call myself "paint by numbers". I know I have made some cards that a store really wants to sell and they are my original idea....I just can never seem to find the time to work on them. Oh well, by the end of the summer all my craft promises will be fulfilled and I can devote some time to them.

Until then, I hope everyone sees sunshine.

Cat

Copic Marker Storage...

I have been searching, it seems like forever, for a Copic marker storage solution. I know a lot of posters like the "cubby" style of storage but, I like my markers in colour chart order --- and portable. I was keeping them in the standard Copic marker container...but, I have three of them and that meant multiple trips if I wanted to work in a different room.

One day I was blurfing and I saw a post how one person likes hers in a storage crate. Well, off to Michael's I go and ....no storage crate. However, they did have a beautiful basket that was perfect in size. I put some of that non-slip material down and it holds all three of my copic containers. All my colours are in perfect (for me) order and I love that I can just carry it from room to room now.

Cuttlebug Embossing Folder Storage....

I am really on a "tear" organizing my craft area. I am liking the way it is going!

Up until now, I have been keeping all my small dies and embossing folders in a binder. However, I seem to have outgrown it. My hubby says to stop shopping and my response is, "WHAT...are you nuts?"

I "googled" and found one poster on Splitcoast Stampers who stored hers in a wooden crate. Off to my local Michael's...no crate...but, they did have the cutest storage boxes that work perfectly. In fact, I grabbed a bunch of them as one now holds all my Thomas Kinkade stamps, one holds my Tim Holtz and Sizzix dies etc. They are about 6-1/2" wide and 12" deep --- perfect!

As everyone seems to be coming out with 5x7 embossing folders (and I am accumulating some now) I wanted to create the file dividers (8" x 6-1/4") and cut "1/3 cut" tabs. The dividers end up being 7" x 6-1/4". I typed labels for them and then I cut three 8"x6-1/4" coloured dividers to separate the brand (i.e. Cuttlebug, Sizzix, Crafts-too-you). I like this better as I can keep the sets together now (i.e. Sizzix Wedding Set).



Gee....I am so organized! Next project: I picked up the Tim Holtz tag die and I am going to cut out a bunch of tags on cheap cardstock, emboss each tag with a different folder and put them all on a ring to create a swatch. This way, I can bring out my swatch to see which folder I want to use and then I can go to the box and get the folder....simple!

Okay, off to find something to eat. Then I am going to set down and play with the new Cuttlebug Quilling kits. These are so addicting....

Oh, the sun is shining!

Photo Tent

I got really tired of having to photoshop all my photos...trying to find a good setting...and, tired of waiting until a sunny day to take pictures of my cards etc.

I "googled" DIY photo light boxes and tons and tons of ideas and instructions appeared. I went with the one here. It was not difficult at all and I think my photos are turning out great.

I modified it a bit by opening up the box on one side so it laid flat, sprayed glue on it and glued white poster paper on top of it. This way, I had a perfectly white interior. I then cut out the window holes, put white medical tape (all I could find) around the window edges and corners of the box where the brown of the box shows and taped tracing paper over the edges. I then cut poster board to fit the inside and I now have a light box. I also bought blue, black and gold so I could change my background if I wanted.

I bought two cheap ($10.00) lamps from Canadian Tire and the daylight true colour light bulbs for it. I am playing around with having my standing Ott lamp shine down on the top to see more about shadows. Given time, I think I can end up with professional quality photos for my blog.

This picture is not so great as I took it with my broken camera but, it is good enough that you can see the setup with my new camera.

It gives you an idea of what it looks like.

Hoping you are having a dry day!

Cat

It's raining...it's pouring....

Okay, enough already. I feel like I should be in the yard building an ark! On the good side, we have no leaks in our duct work....we are dry, dry, dry! I guess flushing the existing weeping tile system, digging a trench away from one corner of the house and putting a rain barrel under the other drain pipe worked.

I have been a busy bee creating something --- I can't say anymore about it because I know someone reads my blog and it is a secret!!! I will post pictures etc. when I can.

My daughter is due towards the end of August and we are having a baby shower for her in Kelowna on July 31st. I "googled" the internet and found a pattern for a "onesie" and this is what I ended up with....

I did not have the Stampin' Up 1-3/8 punch the pattern called for so I used my Marvy 1-1/2 punch and I think it turned out just fine. The card is an A2 size and it is adorable.


We got a phone call from No. 2 son and he and his girlfriend announced their
engagement. No details on the wedding date etc. but, we do know, it will not be this summer. Thank heavens as it is turning out to be a really busy one....with camping, a party for my daughter's marriage on Vancouver Island, a motorcycle trip, the grand baby's birth (both moms are going to be in the delivery room) and our other grandson, Nolan's first birthday a week or so later. Sheesh, busy, busy!

I do not have any "girlie girl" friends or family and when Ray announced his engagement, I let out a "Yippee" because Amanda is a "girlie girl". She loves ribbons, bows, flowers etc. and I sat down and made a card for her. I found the idea for it on Becca's blog (Amazing Paper Grace) and I immediately drove to Michael's to get the punches. I did not have the Just-Rite stamp for the border so, I cheated until my order comes in (new releases). I found a picture off the internet, sized it, traced it with my light box, altered the colour etc. in my graphics program, added the sentiment and hit "Print". I coloured the flowers and leaves with my Spica pens. Now I need to get it into the mail.

I pulled a rib bone under my shoulder blade (don't ask me how...I have no idea) and it has been a couple of days of chiropractor and massage therapy and no work (which means no pay cheque, of course). It has been a struggle to type and I am glad I am now done.

Still raining here and still hoping you are having a dry day where you are.

Cat