Linda's Conpendium Challenge

Racing to make the deadline, and I'm excited because it has been SOOOOO long since I've been on line and in the craft room. After months of moving and packing and unpacking, life if finally going back to normal.

So I checked in with Linda Ledbetter and found that she was on Challenge 26 of the Compendium of Curiosities Tim Holtz's wonderful Crumpled Kraft Suede technique explained on page 40 of the book.

Later:  So sorry about the post, link and no picture. New computer on top of everything else and I'm having difficulties...plan to get it fixed up this weekend.

August Calendar

Crafting and Inkeeness have been significantly absent for a while, as we are between abodes and staying at someone else's lake cottage. But things finally settled down long enough on Sunday morning to think about an August calendar page. I am SO glad that Kate Crane started this monthly calendar project lo those many months ago on her blog, the Kathyrn Wheel.

And while I wasn't thrilled with the background I had grabbed on the way out of the old house, I did at least have it! I made the day tags out of manila tags since that was literally all I had with me except scrapbook paper. Out came a few of the stamps I have with me and some Distress Stains and I was in business. It was SO FUN TO PLAY.

As you can see, it's a bit too much on the sparkly side, which is why I didn't use it months ago, but now I'm LOVING it!!  August is about biding our time until the house is done.

I did start on a calendar in June - late - didn't finish, and skipped July all together. I found I really missed it...

So I'm back on the band wagon. Happy August everyone!!

WOYWW # 161

Greetings!

I've been absent for a long time; sold our house -- read packed up 3,000 square feet; went on vacation -- planned before we actually sold the house -- and are building a new house. Plus, oh yeah, and that whole work for a living thing. So alas, no time for crafting.

A couple of days ago we were out at the building site, and I thought I could at least check in with the AMAZING Julia Dunnitt and her Whats On Your Work Desk Wednesday blog posts. I no longer have a work desk in the "old house" since everything is packed (movers come tomorrow). BUT and here's the really exciting thing, the new house has a new craft room. And this is the view.

Try to ignore the spare wood pile (saving for the fire pit, but not very organized as you can see). But I think I'm really going to enjoy the view.  I'll have to plant some pretty flowers or shrubs in the view shed....

Happy 4th of July to the Americans in the group.

And thanks Julia for the rockin' ATC and THE PIN. Love the PIN!! 

CC2 - #4 - Graduation Time

I've missed the past couple challenges that Linda Ledbetter has sent out into blog land for the Compendium of Curiosities 2 Challenge, but not this week!! For new folks, this is all about Tim Holtz and his amazing teaching book, Compendium of Curiosities #2 which you can purchase here. This week it was about faded layers which he describes on page 43.

After seeing Linda's piece, a big ole' light bulb went off in my head about using die cuts with mask material. So I set out to make a very sweet girl a graduation card.

I started with a piece of manilla paper cover stock and applied Evergreen Bough, Shabby Shutters, and Peeled Paint distress inks to the bottom portion of the paper. On the top I used the new Shaded Lilac, Spun Sugar, Stormy Sky, Broken China, and Tumbled Glass distress inks....very lightly. Next I used the tall grass embossing folder on the bottom of the piece. I laid down my new mask of the branch tree and mostly used the same colors on top of the mask to get a nice blend and a faded picture of the tree. I was careful to avoid the bottom of the tree and used a little sponge finger dauber to color the top of the grass. Next I put some picket fences on one Tim's stamps from the Floral Tattoo collection for a bit of extra interest on the background.

Then came the fun part!!

I used the Tattered Floral Garland die cut and cut out a bunch of the smallest leaves and flowers. I'm really into beads lately, so with my trusty Scotch adhesive in hand, I glued down beads for the flower centers.

I used one of Tim's new kilt pins to attach a heart, a muse token which says Knowledge, and a Dream charm. They seemed like a good combination for someone headed off to Arizona next year for college.

Finally I used one of Wendy Vecchi's stamps for the sentiment. Now I all I have to do is write the inside and slip her a few bucks!! Tis the season.

WOYWW # 153

This is technically my third post in the same 24 hour period, and ironically enough, a 24 hour period where I spent zero time in the Fun Room. Still fighting the shingles and now a cold on top of it, and after a year of trying to sell our house, we got a great offer today, so we spent part of the afternoon at the real estate agents, and the rest of the day wondering where we might be living at the end of June. Hmmm.

So I scurried upstairs and snapped a photo, because for sure this is what it will look like tomorrow. What is tomorrow? Why it's What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday #153, Julia Dunnitt's brain child that let's us take a  peak into every one's lives once a week. I'm kinda addicted I have to say.

On the right side is my Martha Stewart score-it...a fabulous little item. I could never use those little score-its-always having to chop off part of it for some reason. On top is a layout idea from Graphic 45 which I will probably never make; but as I was making Mother's Day cards with Graphic 45 papers yesterday it seems appropriate. There's a new package of baby wipes front and center....can't run out of those. The black paper in the upper left is what I use for most of the backgrounds for my photos. The tray in front has the supplies for one of my newest idea...paper beads which I've been covering with wire and beads.  Here's an example of a few of them.

Below are the beads which have been cut from the 48 marbled distress stain tags I made one morning. What a gas that was...I found the more I made the more things I tried - lots of fun!! I cut the tags into long, skinny triangles (no measuring, just eye-balling) and wrap them around a round toothpick and then give them a coat of Diamond Glaze or two to beef them up. I've been busy looking for pretty wire - but managed to get some that is a bit too thick...thinner is definitely better for this project.

And beads...love beads. Beads come in such luscious colors. Mmmm, just yummy. I've found it's a good TV project and I can be with the rest of the crew and still be doing something creative (hence the tray). The Styrofoam ball holds the toothpicks while the glaze is drying.

Pretty much sums it up for me this Wednesday eve....here's hoping you all have a great week!