Slow-down Sunday

My husband and I have been extremely busy with large home improvement projects for several months.  This has taken a chunk out of my crafting time but in the end will be well worth it.  Today we are taking a much needed day off from any kind of schedule.  We are just being plain ole lazy.

So this gave me a chance to dig into my latest Simon Says Stamp kit for October.  It's colors are very muted in beiges, white and black...my typical colors that I feel very comfortable with.  I made this card from nearly all exclusive elements from the kit with the exception of the wooden heart and waxed linen.  Paper and stamps...what a great way to spend a quiet Sunday.

PINK!

I have this love - hate relationship with the color pink.  Most of the time I think I don't like it.  But then I look in my closet and realize I do own a few items of clothing in pink.  Paper crafting is where I have had real trouble with this color.  I think I like pink and then I receive a scrapping kit collection and the pink will remind me of Kaopectate...hahahaha.  Then I see another collection and I'll love it.

So I am enjoying May Flaum's "Kit-Tastic" class.  This is about making your own kits from what you already have or at the very least USE what you have.  I recently bought Carta Bella's "Paris Girl"...it is white, black and PINK!  What was I thinking?  So for one of the challenges this week of "contrast" I grabbed Paris Girl and made these cards attempting to show contrast.  I don't know if I achieved that particular goal, but HEY... I like them!

Card base is from Club Scrap's "Haberdashery", a very pretty and sophisticated grey pinstripe-textured paper.  All other papers are Paris Girl, paper tape flower, assorted buttons and Dazzles stickers in black on the right card.

BTW, the lacy background was just from me fooling around with the Inkadinkado Stamping Gear on white paper which I photographed the cards on.

New Addictive Toy

Thanks to my buddies over at Club Scrap Coffeehouse, I was enabled to purchase (with a 50% off coupon) the new Inkadinkado Stamping Gear.  I love when a simple tool like this gives old stamps a new look.  This is quite addictive as you search your unmounted stamps to see what fits the stamping handle and how it will turn out.  My first two attempts:

Stamps used:  Club Scrap "Navajo" unmounted stamps

and Club Scrap "Generations" unmounted stamps

Fell off the LSNE wagon!

I'm just not cut out for the everyday pressure to create something I don't understand fully.  So one evening this past week I just played with my stuff all for me.  I have the new CTMH Cricut Cartridge "Artiste" and it is chocked full of fabulous, buildable items such as this cute purse below.  I used Graphic 45 papers from the "Steampunk Debutante" collection plus their metal butterfly embellishment.  The rest is from my stash.  Also made a card for an "OCAM" out of the same collection.

I guess I did learn something: that I don't like pressure creating unless absolutely necessary.  I just had plain, good fun letting my imagination  guide me.  It was pure joy.

LSNE Day 7

It's all about "Time".  How do you spend your time each day?  From the time you wake up till your head hits the pillow, what fills in all the time?   My routine once breakfast is made changes daily.  Aside from being in the kitchen a good deal of the time cooking, my days vary greatly.  So much of it is enjoyable.  Birding with my DH, working on home improvement projects (endless), crafting, looking after my guys, reading, spending probably too much time on the internet...yeah, my days are full and I love it.

My pages are made with Graphic 45 "Ladies' Diary" and Tim Holtz embossed kraft paper pad with stamps from CTMH.

Thanks for looking:)

LSNE Day 6

Today's theme is Gratitude.  While playing around in my scrap room I often feel my mom looking down on me smiling and happy that I am pursuing an art form that makes me so happy.  She was an artist and fashion illustrator.  She did her best to teach me her skills, art ideas and taste.  I am so very grateful she did.  What she taught me, gives me joy every day.  She was a great mom.

This is a favorite effort of mine.  Love the colors and the playful mix of paper, Dylusion sprays and the mask from Club Scrap's "Tahiti" collection.

LSNE Day 5

Yes, I am falling behind.  My goal tonight (Sept 10) is to catch up.  Sigh...

September 5th's theme was a discussion of whether one is a planner or spontaneous.  I had to give this some thought and came up with the only solution and actually quite accurate.  I am a "spontaneous planner".  This is not a cop out.  I really am.  One moment I can just drop everything and go do something totally unplanned.  Such as run outside and take photos of a fantastic sunset we had on this day.  AND I am a planner.  Bob and I last month had an opportunity to get away to the Pt Reyes National Shoreline.  That took some planning since we are both whole plant food vegans.  No restaurant is going to be able to serve the kind of meals we like.  So a lot of planning went into making food ahead as well as being able to "cook" in our room.  And it did work out quite well.  My planning paid off and we had a very nice break from the Valley heat.

Papers are from Graphic 45, The Magic of Oz and Jenni Bowlin's Classic Red/Black paper pad.  Dot stamp from CTMH.

Day 4: Patience

Patience is not only a virtue, it just makes life easier.  I was a little annoyed and frustrated that my son had forgotten his wallet today after my asking him if he had it on the way out the door.  He called me 30 minutes later saying he didn't have it.  Oy!  But the annoyance went away when I reminded myself that I have also forgotten my wallet.   So today's entry is about Patience.

Day 3: It's about FEET!

Well sort of.  But my feet play an important part in my life so the prompt on feet seemed very apt to me.

My quote of the day, "I may be a nobody, but my feet are famous".   This is true.

Day 2 of LSNED

Day 2 assignment:  What teacher was an important influence in my life and what did I learn today?

My simple answer is Sister Vencentia who taught me calligraphy in 4th grade and my DH Bob today showing me how to install a door knob.  I am a practical girl.

I warmed up to this assignment as I began to write my brief answer to Day 2's prompt.  Once I completed my journaling I had fun adding photo, tape, altered tag and lots of stamping.  I was so pleased that a few of my new CTMH stamps filled the bill just right for me.

Now to go figure out Day 3's prompt.

Learn Something New Everyday

This is the subject of an online class I began today.  Making observations and then scrapping and or journaling about each day's discovery.  We'll see how this one goes.  I'm still in the dark on this one but I did use a journal I had altered last week for today's entry.  Here is the cover.