Tuesdays Tip

"Garbage Bowl"

Not to get confused with Rachel Rays garbage bowl. But the purpose is somewhat similar. Mine is stuff you want to keep... not toss.

If you craft and scrap like I do, I am working on half a dozen projects all at once. So instead of putting things away where they go right-away, I have this cool enamel bowl that sits on my desk. That way I can toss the things I am not using right away into it, and off of my work surface.

It just sits on the corner of my desk off to the left (because I am right handed). It keeps things at an arms reach but out of the way of my current project.

Then when that creativity burst subsides a bit I can take the bowl off of my desk and put the items back where they belong.

Caardvarks Hero Arts Card Challenge

Here's the layout we had to follow...



Here's what I did...




Supplies:
Paper: We are Memory Keepers Vintage Brass
Ink: Stampin' Up close to cocoa, clear embossing powder and Tim Holtz vintage photo distressing ink
Stamps: Hero Arts
Hardware: Basic Grey brown brads
Other: Cuddlebug and embossing plates

6 hours, 5 thrift stores

Thrift Finds #4

While my DH was at a conference all day, I decided to ask my MIL if she wanted to go thrifting. We ended up going to 5 thrift shops in about 6 hours. And stopping for lunch at this great local 50's diner...called the 50's grill. Had a wonderful burger, and can't leave there with out having a slice of cake or pie. We split a piece of lemon supreme cake.

Here are my finds for the day. Did not find much, the stores were really busy!





What I found:

• A great wire basket
• Ruffled trim with 1234 blocks in blue running along the edge
• Wide eyelet lace
• a ruler (for my mom who collects rulers)
• a letter game (for scrapbooking)
• small bingo cards (had to buy the whole kit, but I just kept the cards)
• My new loves these old cards, that are small note size, but I love how they are printed and the paper they are on
• a hankie for a girlfriend
  
• and some jewelry... Rhinestone pins for my collection and a bar pin for my mom and a great retro flower
  

Altered Book Club

So I got sucked into another club. I don't know why I do this to myself. Probably because I am an artist, and love to share with other artists.

Besides all of the online card contests I enter, and the ATC (altered trading card, see older posts) I now am a proud member of a group held here.

Have you heard about Altered Books? Here's a great site to visit to find out more.

Anyway, I had Julie's book for the month and I chose "O" for my letter. Oh, the theme of her book is the alphabet (very partial to this theme) see this post I collect anything that has the entire alphabet on it.

So this is what I did for her book.


My name and letter choice for the front cover (this part of the book has the name a letter choise for everyone who's worked on her book).




Someone peaking through the faux wood tree. Whoooo could it be?





It is Mister Owl.
I think he turned out really cool...and he's one-of-a-kind. My husband drew him for me and I cut him apart and paper pieced him back together. And as you can see I weaved his chest. Really easy to do.



This is the back page (of the 4, I took up).



And this is what her entire book looks like. Jam packed with peoples art. How Fun!

(p.s. you might have seen that owl in other projects of mine. After he was done for this project, I scanned him into the computer and saved him as an image. For a recent card project I turned him pink.)

Mojo Monday Layout Challenge #79

Here I go again...






Supplies
Paper: Bazzill, Basic Grey, Stampin' Up and unknown vellum
Green Ribbon: Offray
Hardware: Stampin' up Hodge Podge Hardware and Basic Grey Brad
Stamp: Stampin' up "sweet"
Ink: Stampin' Up
Chipboard Flower Stickers: Basic Grey
Other: I used Fiskars Treading Water Border Punch

One Picture Wednesday

Tuesdays Tip

Stamp Pad Storage

You probably already know this but, you should ALWAYS store your stamp pads upside down. So that the ink will always be at the surface of the pad. It is wonderful now that Stampin' Up has designed their pads this way. I also found that a old VCR tape or cassette tape rack works wonderful to store your stamp pads. I have a small VCR rack on my shelf above my desk to hold my stamp pads.

Even my small "sample" sizes of Stampin' Up stamps are stored upside-down. I labeled all of my stamp pads so I know what is what.

Mojo Monday Layout Challenge #78

Another contest to enter. Mojo Monday Layout challenge #78




Wedding? Birthday? Anniversary? I don't know that's why I decided to keep this card pretty generic, so I can use it for anything. Once I decide how I am going to use it I will stamp something on the inside.

Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill pinks, patterns Making Memories, and black is unknown
Ribbon: Making Memories
Ink: Stampin' Up Black and Pink
Stamps: Inkadinkadoo

Altered Board Book

I've always wanted to alter a board book. I went to my local thrift shop and bought one for 49¢. I painted the entire thing white (I used acrylic, but suggest Gesso). I recommend sanding the entire thing first, so your paint will stick (I should have done this but didn't).

























Yep...that's me!




Paper: We Are Memory Keepers Vintage Brass Collection
Brown Ribbon: Stampin' Up
Hardware: Stampin' up Hodge Podge Hardware
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Vintage Photo
Butterfly Stickers: K&Co.
Rub-ons: American Crafts & Basic Grey
Other: Cuddlebug Die-Tag alongs

Images are from actual photos and others are taken from an old children's book