What Happened To Winter?

Here it is, the end of January, and I have to ask "what happened to winter?"  We've had a few days here and there in NC that got chilly.  A few nights that got in the 20's.  But we really haven't had a true winter!  With it feeling much more like spring, it makes it easier to make spring cards.

The paper is from a huge American Girls paper pack that I found for 50% off at Michael's just before Christmas.  The image is a coloring sheet from Raising Our Kids webpage.

This warm weather is also not helping my car dilemma.  I had a gallon of milk sitting on my passenger seat.  I would make sure I hold it when I stopped or made turns.  But at one point, an ambulance came from a side street with it's lights and siren going.  I had to slam on brakes to avoid hitting it.  Well, I didn't think to hold the milk.  It went flying off the seat, onto the floor board & milk start gushing out.  By the time I got the car pulled over and went around to the other side of the car, milk was pouring out the door.  I cleaned it as best as possible when I got home.  But now it smells like something died in my car.  I have used about a full can of Lysol and have 2 different air fresheners.  Luckily I can leave the windows down some to help (not much though).  

Loving The Inspiration

When I first starting making cards, I was very plain in my style.  Since I started making cards for OWH, I have found myself improving greatly.  Seeing all the sketches and inspiration cards has helped quite a bit.  A month ago, if someone would have told me I would be making cards with 3 different pattern papers, I would have laughed.  I'm lucky if I could get 2 on one card.  But within the last couple of weeks, I have now made 3 different cards with 3 different pattern paper!  And the sketches have helped with plainness.

Shhh don't tell anyone.....but I actually had fun making this card!  I made 8 dogs (one got messed up while I was coloring.  I concentrate too hard.  While I was coloring, the doorbell rang and off the pen goes across the image).  The image is from Whimsy Stamps and I colored them with my Tombow markers.  Believe it or not, all the paper for 7 cards was scrap.  I managed to have just enough. 

If you can see in this picture, the base paper has lines on it.  It actually is raised a little.  Fun to run the finger over.

Organizied Chaos

The other day, OWH posted how to organize your craft room/stuff on their Stars and Stamps page.  Then they asked for people to submit pictures of their craft rooms.  I am still trying to get my craft room set up after my husband made a new desk top to go on drawer units.  But then, I don't think I will ever be "done" with creating my craft room.  I am always changing things.

My room looks nothing like this anymore.....because in this picture, you can see my desktop.  HAHA  The 4 drawer units I found at Habitat for Humanity (on 2 different trips!).  The bookcase on the right has scrapbooks that need to be worked on and extra pages for my scrapbooks. 

Bought this unit from Chandler Creations.  I got 2 cubes & then figured out how many drawers I needed.  The top drawers have my wood mounted stamps.  I labeled the outside of the drawers so it's easier to find the stamp I need.

Just a sample of how the drawer is set up.

This drawer holds my embossing powders.....not very many.  I don't have a picture but another drawer holds my acrylic stamp blocks.

This was a great find at Lowes.  It is sold to organize & store nails, screws, etc.  But it works great for brads, eyelets and buttons.  And even though the drawers are see through, I still labeled them.

This section is still a work in progress.  The wire baskets are a find from The Container Store.  They are Elfa spice racks.  As it turned out, they are compatible with Closet-maid rail system.  Smaller rolls of ribbon fit in there perfectly!  My Towbow markers are sitting in acrylic pencil holders, again from The Container Store.  The Cropper Hopper vertical file is holding my solid 12x12 papers.  I just ordered a rack so I will be able to store them horizontally.

One drawer with cutting tools (minus my small Tonic trimmer).

This drawer has my ATG gun, other adhesives, stickles & liquid pearls.  I keep the refills to my adhesives in a drawer unit on one of my shelves over the desk.

File folders in one of the bottom drawers.  These hold my solid 8 1/2 x 11 papers.  Each color has 2 folders; one for a full sheet of paper, the other for scraps.

This drawer has pattern 8 1/2 x 11 paper, some stickers, rub-ons, thick embellishments.

Punches & decorative scissors.

My other coloring tools......chalks, watercolors, some of my colored pencils and my glaze pens.

All of these pens and markers I started stocking up on in my earlier scrapbooking days.  There is a box of small squares & circles in different colors.  Containers holding large buttons & rubber bands. 

These file folders hold my 12x12 patterned paper.

This rolling cart is from Cropper Hopper.  At the time, the only 12x12 file folders I could find were expensive for a small pack.  My dear husband read somewhere of a lady that made her own.  You take legal size file folders and cut them and tape together to get a size big enough for 12x12 (and sometimes bigger) paper.  I did this about 6 years ago, so I don't remember the measurements.

 Hope you enjoyed the tour of my craft room!

Here Comes Peter Cotton Tail

With the deadline of Easter cards slowly creeping up, I wasn't sure if I was going to make any.  I decided, what the hay!  I can make a few.

The bunny image is actually one I found on a children's coloring page website.  I am SO envious of the ladies that color these wonderful images with their Copic markers.  I went the cheap route and bought Tombow markers.  At first I thought, oh no, what have I done?  These markers stink.  But I am determined to make them work!  And I am sure it's just like using Copics......it takes time and practice!  So I colored the bunny with my Tombow.  I added the grass underneath so the bunny looks grounded.  The 'Hoppy Easter' is cut out with the Sizzix Framelit.  I found a 12x12 paper pad at AC Moore that has all these vibrant colors and different textures.  I love it so much, I want another one!  The striped paper and deep purple is from that pack.

When It Rains, It Pours

Do you ever have one of those weeks that nothing seems to go right?  Or you get nothing but bad news?  Or you can't get anything to work?  I am having one of those weeks.

First we found out that our baby cousin, just over a month old, had been very sick.  He was throwing up and couldn't keep formula down.  After a trip to the ER, his parents were told that he had acid reflux.  Put him on medicine and had the formula changed.  Well, that didn't work.  So to the doctor's office.  After some tests were run, they were sent over to the hospital where our cousin would need surgery.  Turns out the opening to his intestines was too small.  So food was backing up, causing the vomiting.  So during the surgery, they made the opening bigger.  Thank goodness the surgery was a success and seems to be doing really well!

The same day we found out about our cousin needing surgery.....got devastating news that my brother has liver cancer and possible stomach cancer.  He was going to have more tests run this week.  But the doctor actually doesn't feel that he has stomach cancer.  Instead, they think it's scabs that have formed from bleeding ulcers in the past.  I'm still in shock regarding the news.  My brother finally had a long conversation by phone with our parents.  But at first, he didn't want to tell anyone.  He's in the angry stage right now (and possibly denial).  Waiting to hear more news is very difficult.

Then, as if all that wasn't enough, I got an email from my son's preschool teacher.  They are past due on several months rent & are being evicted.  Unfortunately, the owner of the complex is not willing to work with them.  So if something isn't done soon, the school will close it's doors for good at the end of February.  Which means, my son will have no where to go.  Unless I can find a half-day preschool that is still accepting students.

Last night, after dinner, I told my husband I needed to be by myself for a bit.  So while he played with our son, I went to my craft room & tried some watercoloring.  To me, painting has always been therapeutic.  I used watercolor paint on the flowers (made by my friend Anmarie).  Then today, while my son was at school, I made these cards.  The paper came from a paper pack I recently bought (but don't remember the name).

Inspiration: OWH Sketch #94

First Challenge Of The New Year

OWH is doing another challenge through Our Daily Bread Designs.  Once again, if we reach a certain number, they will sponsor a couple boxes of cards to be shipped to our heros. 

The challenge.....use 3 pattern papers.  When I first read this, I have to admit, I started panicking.  Looking back at all my cards, most of them have 1 pattern paper.  A few times, I got daring and used 2.  But to use 3.....on the same card?!  Then I told myself to relax, I can do it.

The base paper is very hard to see in the picture....but it is striped.  Pattern paper #1, check.  Then the middle paper is covered in butterflies.  Pattern paper #2, check.  Then the shapes next to the single butterfly is plaid.  Pattern paper #3, check.  Phew!

For the butterfly, I colored it with glaze pens.  You can see how shiny it is in the picture.  If you hold the card at the right angle, it almost looks like stained glass.

Happy 2012

After two long weeks with my husband & son home, we are finally back on a "normal" schedule.  Don't get me wrong, I love those two like crazy.  And I enjoy spending time with them.  But after awhile, we start needing space from one another.  My husband returned to work on Tuesday and my son returned to school on Wednesday.  Now I really should have been cleaning the house.  But where is the fun in that?!  So I decided to skip cleaning (what's more day of a dirty house?) and make some cards.

When I first started making cards, I never really had a "plan."  I would just make what popped into my head.  But after awhile, it's hard to come up with ideas.  Now when I get stuck, I check out sketches or other cards for inspiration.

I got this layout from Sketch # 79 from OWH.  The Missing You sentiment is one that I found online.  A few of the ladies on OWH's Facebook page have commented about using glaze pens.  So I bought a pack to play with them.  I colored the two flowers as the dot of the I with the blue glaze pen.  Gives it a nice shiny touch.

Would like to say a huge thank you to my wonderful friend Anmarie!  She has found her calling in digital scrapbooking and sells a lot of her stuff through several stores.  She is hosting a card challenge for Wilma4Ever and used one of my cards for the inspiration.  I am very flattered.  I love hearing positive feedback.  But I'm too critical of my own work and never thinks it's good enough.  Thanks for believing in my work Anmarie!  Stop by her page, ABCreations, to see her digital pages.