Class Projects

When I scheduled this class I had no idea it was on Easter weekend otherwise I would have planned an egg hunt!! 4 fun projects and we even finished 15 minutes early!!!! I have such a great time with all my gals that it never even feels like I'm "working". The directions are typed out for them, they holler if they have questions but I find that most of the time I get to socialize and get caught up on who's doing what, how their kids are doing, the latest vacation stories, who found what on sale and where!!!! HAHAHA....It takes so much time to plan everything, cut every single layer and package it all up but in the end, it's SO worth it!! I got a few great ideas from my fellow stampers and ran with them.

This was a fun new folding idea I cased from another stamper, I changed the colors and a few little things, but isn't it fun?!?! I just love it!

Then, of course we had a Bella night....actually two this week!!!! And another one planned for Friday night!! I just can't get enough of these gals...and oddly, I have a few friends that have the same issue! HAHAHHAH

It's been a while...

It's been a while since I've posted. Life has a way of running off and leaving you in the dust! My hubby started his new job this week, FINALLY. They had been pushing back his start date every week and we were starting to wonder if it was going to fall through. But, he's down there right now as I type this, sitting in training and being taken out to Sushi for lunch. How unfair is that?!?! The fun part is that he's training in Walnut Creek and staying through Saturday so guess who will be joining him on Friday night? ME! I get to shop and explore and shop and eat....and SHOP!!!! I'm going to do a little research and see if there are any good scrapbook and stamp stores while I'm down there...I love checking out new craft shops! So since I haven't had a chance to stamp anything new I still wanted to post something. Simple, sassy and springy. :)
I have fallen in love with these Sassy Stems. They are great to use with watercolor crayons, inkpad pallete coloring or even just the markers. I always add a little Crystal Effects to the water vase, just to add a bit of dimension.

Hopefully I can post my Bella creations soon....I've been holding off for quite some time now due to swap-secrecy. But I just can't take it much longer. Last night, Margaret came over and we began our Bella Book! Oh don't worry....you'll see soon enough. ;)

It's Spring Time!

My favorite part of this card was coloring the flower buds and creating different shades (so saffron, pretty in pink, rose red). I also love my new texture plates!!! The Big Shot Impressions Starter Kit can be used with the Cuttlebug so you can emboss any brass template and get even more backgrounds by using texture plates. The plate used here was by Fiskars. I find texture plates to be a great alternative to the embossed folders or images because they aren't as drastic and defined. They are very subtle and don't take away from the true focal point of the project. And as always, I can't seem to get enough of the distressing or paper piercing. I LOVE IT!

This was the final project for my Spring Sensation class this weekend and sadly due to time contraints a few missed out making it so I thought I would highlight it in my blog for the weekend. After my class (which was SO much fun!!!), the hubby and I went to the Folsom outlets to do a bit of shopping, then of course stopped by Michael's since I had 3 coupons and just couldn't waste those. Then we had dinner at Outback (delish!) and finally a movie. We saw Wild Hogs and I thought it was a hoot! Kinda slap-schtick but overall very delightful. The weather was simply amazing this weekend, I couldn't get enough of it! Winter makes you appreciate Spring, if that makes sense. :) Sunday was by far the best (minus losing an hour)....Scott & I went to the spa for a massage and then La Bou for a light lunch. We felt like 'buttah' the entire day and I think we've decided we should do that more frequently....we're worth it! So I hope all of you got to enjoy the sunshine this weekend, Spring is most definitely here!!!!

Keep it Simple

I have fallen in love with the Spring Mini catalog!!! I spent my Friday night stamping with a friend of mine and we were up until midnight working on fun stuff. I didn't want to use my new designer series paper just yet so I decided to make my own. :) Then we had some fun layering and making flower petals using just punches and of course I had to add the paper piercing...I can't seem to get enough of it!!! It's simple, clean and sweet. Sometimes we can get so mixed up into making layer after layer, adding more and more, and we lose track of why we love this craft in the first place. It's sweet, simple and handmade....and I love it!

Fantastic Stamp Class!!!

Yes, I'm still alive....I haven't been able to blog much because I was hard at work prepping for my class this past weekend. I had SO MUCH FUN!!! Yes, I always have fun but for some reason this class was very relaxing and paced perfectly! We even finished 15 minutes early!! (normally we run 30 minutes over)

It was my first time doing a "Stamp of the Month" workshop where everyone made 4 projects AND kept the stamp set we used. It was a hit!!!! I've had tons of requests to do that more often so I've already picked out the set I want to use, now I just have to get focused and make the projects. Plus I've been working daily on my swaps that are due March 1st (need to be in the mail by Feb 21st since they have to travel to Canada) so that has consumed my time also. I finished another Bella layout!!!! So I have 1 1/2 swaps done, LOL !!! The idea is harder than the production...once you find a layout design that you like they are EASY PEASY to replicate over and over. So tonight, one more layout then I can mass produce them all tomorrow and get them in the mail by my deadline! WHOOO HOOOOO!!!!

So that's my update...sorry no perty pics or card ideas. Kimmie won't let me show off my bellas until the swap is over. :( She's just so mean! LOL

Yep...it's official

So I got home yesterday and to my surprise I had a package waiting for me on the doorstep. I raced inside, grabbed my box cutter and ripped open that box to find this.......

My husband walked in while I was taking this picture and gasped. Then, the dreaded "what's all this?!?" To which I replied "Oh, it's ok honey, it's just one of the shares online". He shrugged and left the room....little did he know it was my part of the share, not something that would be going out. LOL

I felt like a kid in a candy store!!!!! I flopped on the bed and started looking at all the colors and combinations, then I started sorting them into sections. Over an hour went by and I still hadn't made a dent in this massive amount of Primas.....my back hurt, I was exhausted and suddenly it hit me. "There is no way I will ever need or use this many primas....WHAT was I thinking?!?!"

The only rational thought that came to mind was...."It's not what I need, it's what I want....and I must have it ALL!!!!!!"

I should be taken to the hospital.....seriously, I need a straight jacket to keep me from pulling out my credit card cause apparently, I CAN'T BE STOPPED!!!! *evil laugh* Ok ladies.....keep checking back cause I'm thinking some blog candy is in order, I have WAY too many primas and I can admit it! :)

Do I need to seek help??

This was how I spent my weekend.......

Is there such thing as a ribbon-aholic??? I mean, I couldn't stop. Everywhere I went it consumed me....more, more I must have more!!!!!! If I had aquired this over time I doubt I would even flintch. But this was in one day people!!!!! I have a problem!!!!!! Well, I guess admitting it is the first step to recovery.....then again, I could just use it all in my swaps and RAK's and then I'd have an excuse to go get MORE?!?!?! **insert evil laugh here** Oh and I finished one of my bella swaps **yipeee** but sadly can't post it here or I'll get a whoopin'. :)

My 'Toy Story' stamp set

This set is a classic, I haven't pulled it out in a while so I thought it was about time. Have you noticed yet that we go through 'stamp phases'? Kinda like clothing, you buy something you just "HAVE to have" and you can't wait to wear it.....sometimes you might wear it too much but hey, it's your favorite!!! Then you start to wear it a bit less, either because the season is over or perhaps you found something new that you enjoy wearing now. Afterall, you were wearing that other favorite item a bit much and you DO need more clothes, right?! *smirk*

So I find that I HAVE to have certain stamps and/or stamp sets and I use them constantly....show them off at all workshops, parties, classes, etc. I use them in RAK's and swaps and for every occasion possible. Then, a new set comes out that I adore and I find that I have tons of ideas and can't wait to show it off at workshops and parties, RAK's....you get the idea. So Watercolor Garden was THE set of the year a few years back....I never let it out of my sight. Then more watercolor sets came about and I adored them as well, used them together actually. Now....this poor little guy sits in the back of the shelf collecting dust. So....I brushed off the dust and brightened up my spirits :) Hope you likey!!! (oh, and I hope this inspires you all to pull out an old fav and use it again!!) I feel like this is a new version of Toy Story only with stamps. LMBO!!!

Side by Side watercoloring

There are so many ways out there to watercolor it seems, so today I spent a good chunk of time comparing them. Now, there are a few more ways to watercolor than what I am posting but these are the majority of what people use and also what I feel works best.


First: SU Watercolor pencils used with a Blender Pen


To keep this comparison fair, I used the exact same stamp and Staz-on pad for all the images. I only highlighted the left side of the chef's coat and then blended in a circular motion towards the middle. Results.....

I've never been a fan of this techinique, mainly because it never seems "blended" to me and if you rub too hard (which really isn't hard at all) then you tend to rub through the paper or cause the paper to bubble up. Using straight water with the pencils is even worse, don't try that one.

Second: SU Watercolor Crayons with Aqua Painter

Again, I simply shaded the left side of the chef's coat and using the aqua painter I blended the color inward. Results....

Not too bad, it's much lighter but the overall blend I definitely like.

Third: Prisma Pencils w/Gamsol

This technique can be a little tricky, you must drench the paper stump with the Gamsol minerals in order to get anything to blend at all.

Results.......

The upside to this technique is that the color is very vibrant. But with a large image to color, I wasn't too impressed with the actual "blend". Also you have to continually resoak your paper stump with Gamsol as you are blending,and always blend in a circular motion.

Fourth: Inkpad Pallette and watercolor brush

This has always been my failsafe. I never had to worry about not having the exact color match or using too many "extras". We all have water, odds are we have the inkpad of choice and a watercolor brush is a standard in all craft rooms. Simply *squish* your inkpad together, you want the lid to actually push against the ink pad. Then squirt a few drop of water into the lid and tah-dah, watercolor pallette. Results....

After using all of these techniques side by side, I have to say that I still am partial to the plain ol' watercolor w/inkpad technique. But I'm so very glad that I did this, it really allowed me to see the differences between the various types of watercoloring and with that knowledge I can plan my coloring based on my projects!! And as I said before, there are tons more ways to color....markers, chalks, blender pens with ink pads, re-inkers with aqua painters.....it's really a matter of what works best for you and your projects!

Iris Twist n' Shout!

I had so much fun making this with Saturday's Stampers 10 club!!! If you missed the group gathering don't worry, I set your sample aside along with your template. When working on this project, everything in the square is done on the backside of the card first. The finished product is what you see here, once it's flipped over. Add a few Primas and some diamond centers, use the paper pieces punch for the bottom and layer Vellum over it. The trick to the white brads, heat silver brad with your heat gun for just a few seconds, dip into white embossing powder and then heat again. Tah dah! White brad with no shopping!!!