de-boss: verb ( used with object )

to indent (a figure or design) into a surface 

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Frosted Designs Fabulous Friday Challenge - Rolled Paper

It's been a long time since I have done rolled edges on my paper and I have no idea why 'cause I love the distressed look of it, especially for this guy camping birthday card!

papers are misc.

stickers-

Sakura gel pens

paint

ink

pop dot

CARDZTV birthday stamp

Paper Crafts April 2012 Gallery Challenge - Silhouettes

Tried a new technique for me being that I am not a "true" stamper. This was my first time using a mask to stamp. I cut an oval die from the Cricut and laid it over my image and then placed 3 different stamps onto my acrylic block to repeat the birthday sayings.

Cricut cartridge- Don Juan, Everyday Paperdolls

CARDZTV birthday stamps

Reminisce pen

ink

This card was me just playing around with an extra image I had cut from my Cricut. I wanted to try an embossing technique where you rub your ink onto your embossing plate, run it through the machine and it inks the de-bossed part of the paper, would have turned out better if at the last second I hadn't sprayed it with my misting ink, lol I will try this again though, but with just an ink pad! Here is the link for the tutorial.

Cricut cartridge- Everyday Paperdolls

Fiskars embossing plate

CARDZTV birthday stamp

pop strips

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I have to wait for 2 months after a project has been published before I can share it with you. It's also funny when you think I actually made the tag back in June 2011!! Sometimes I can almost forget what the project looked liked until I get the actual magazine! I love looking through them and seeing what everyone else submitted too!

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If you have something you've made from using a pin from Pinterest then I sure hope you will link it up to:

calories: noun

Tiny creatures that live in your closet and sew your clothes a little bit tighter each night

Anne sent me that, now I know what's lurking in my closet, it's time to clean it out, darn buggers!
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Well, here we are on Lesson 6, Design Principles continued ( part 2 ) brought to you by Altered Book Lover where you too can learn how to alter a book for free! It's a great class offered by Elizabeth and Bluebeard! We have several design elements to work on and mine all kind of run together, several pages show more than one design element but I tried to break it down a little bit for you:

Contrast

The small heart stands out and is a dominant feature because of the color blue. The splattering of blue ink and the drips contrast against the green layered torn pieces.



The heart was cut out of the material, background created with paint, H20's, and stickles. The fish was stamped and then colored in with Sakura Gels. I intentionally tried to fray the edges of the material, but it didn't fray enough for me.

Dominance and Contrast

I used the color to create contrast, while the size of the heart creates dominance.

poem reads:

Magic Spirits of the deep,

I would like a tail,

Not two feet.

To swim with fish would be sweet,

but when I'm finished in the sea,

Let my feet return to me.

mermaid spell

I adapted the words to my liking but if you want to see the orginal spell then you can go visit:

Real Spells of Magic

Rhythm and Movement

I tried to create rhythm by repeating an element to draw the eye into the heart, the paper strips also create movement by having the eye travel around the heart.. The strips were torn from pages that had already been removed and then inked and glued down.

First I gesso'd the background and then used H20's to color the heart. I glued the edges down with lace and then sewed it to make sure it was secure. I tore the heart shape by using a water technique to outline the shape and then simply tore on the water line.

repetition

I stamped small fishes over and over creating a subtle repetitive background design. I have to say that stamping on gesso, covered with H20's is a wonderful thing, if you make a mistake you can rub the ink to look like the H20's, lol

Detail of a hanging charm from the heart. Made with glass rock beads and a dragonfly charm, sewn to the bottom of the heart.

The right side of the open heart.

a close up shot of the tag:

You can read more details about the making of the tag here.

Well, I hope that wasn't too confusing, it all kinda meshes together, even for me. ;)

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Click here for the Project Pinterest post

And don't forget Project Pinterest, you have until Wednesday to link up your project before we pick our featured pinnerest!

raccoon: noun

a small animal with grayish black fur, black patches around the eyes, and a long bushy ringed tail

"Raccoons are large mammals, most often seen dead on roadsides ( poor babies ) or at night going through garbage cans. They are shy creatures, active at night." ( Somebody want to tell this fella it's day time? )

 "Raccoons benefit people by controlling animal and plant populations. A raccoon may eat an entire wasp nest, including larvae, or eat all of the berries from a Poison Ivy plant, keeping it from spreading. Of course, sometimes they poop out the seeds in a new place, and Poison Ivy grows there". ( lol, more than I might need to know, but OK : currently itching from some poison ivy...now to be thought of as raccoon poop!)

 "Raccoons are very agile. They climb trees well, moving forward or backward on their way up or down the tree. They are one of few animals which can descend a tree headfirst". ( They also can scale brick walls as I have had them up on my balcony!! ) 

"Raccoons are known for making a variety of sounds, including purrs, whimpers, snarls, growls, hisses, screams, and whinnies". To hear some of their sounds, click here.  ( If you want to hear the sound I hear most often it's the "raccoon complaint" sound when they are arguing over who gets the bird seed from my downstairs neighbor! )

And speaking of my neighbor: She hates squirrels ( I feed them ) she hates raccoons ( and I was thrilled to be getting this little guy on camera! ) So you can see we have a different opinion, so here I am, hanging off my balcony trying to get a shot of him and out comes Jo from below brandishing a broom, banging it on the porch and yelling....and there I am, standing ever so silently, praying she doesn't know I'm out on my balcony, pretending that I am not letting this raccoon get onto her porch just so that I can get his picture...::Innocent look::

subliminal: adjective

without awareness: entering, existing in, or affecting the mind without conscious awareness

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It's challenge day in order to keep up with the man cards that I need for my upcoming craft sale! Yay for challenges, they keep me motivated and they give me ideas! I Love challenges!

First one is from Frosted Designs: Card Sketch #17

I never thought that I would get a chance to use the " Happy Bird Day " stamp on a man's birthday card until I started putting this together. I cut the Birdie word from the golf pattern paper and then stamped the Happy Bird day over that. Subliminal pun!

pattern paper - Karen Foster

Everday Paper Dolls cartridge, p. 54 golf tee

stamps by CARDZTV

Second challenge is from Fantabulous Cricut: Challenge Me Monday #108
called On the Go, projects with a car, bike, plane, or train

Also being entered in paper Playtime: Challenge #72 Say it With Sentiments theme "Birthday Card"

Another subliminal pun message with the sentiment "Over the Hill", flying over the hills...lol...you think they will get it?

Everyday Paper dolls, p.66 plane

Sandy Lion stickers

stamp by CARDZTV

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And then a challenge for me! yay!  Cricut Circle Magazine has a Banner Year challenge, where you must make a banner using at least 4 Cricut cuts. So, I made one for my art desk, something I can look up at while creating and make me smile! So ta dah..here it is!

Paisley cartridge, p. 40 butterfly

Stretch Your Imagination cartridge, p. 37 flower and p. 63 birdhouse

Winter Wonderland, p. 59 bird

I did take a little white paint on my finger to give the birdhouse a white wash look. The letters on the banner have been covered with Glossy Accents to make sure the letters stay stuck, and the banner is also outlined with stickles. The stickers are from American Girl and there are micro beads added to the center of the 2 sticker flowers.

And the eagle eyes out there might notice a sticker on my shelf that says "you did it!", well I placed that there over a year ago after I got my first card accepted for publication and I have left it there to remind me of that feeling that day when I got an e-mail saying my card had been accepted. I remember dancing through the house chanting, "I'm gonna be published!! " lol
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link 'er up!

project: noun

an organized unit of work

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On Thursdays we announce our featured Project Pinterest, so make sure you link up and who knows you could be picked next!

Announcing my featured pinnerest is
Kelly
from Rainboots & Beef
( because it takes a brave person to admit when things go wrong )



Grab your button to feature on your blog! Go check out Sarah's blog It's on the tip of my tongue to see if you were her featured pinnerest!
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My friend just had surgery so I thought I would make her and her husband a casserole. And then I thought, when making one, it's just as easy to double the recipe and make 2! One for me, one for them.
I used this pin from Pinterest and it worked out great, very yummy but I do like to add a big dollop of sour cream on mine and my friend said they did like theirs spicier so they added some heat to it; but over all it's a simple recipe with great results!

http://picky-palate.com/2011/04/25/chicken-and-black-bean-green-enchilada-rice-bake/

Now as usual, let me tell you my goofs...lolFirst I couldn't find cans of mild green enchilada sauce but I did find red, so I guess it works as I haven't a clue what the difference between red and green enchilada sauce tastes like,
and secondly I was suppose to get diced tomatoes, I did get diced tomatoes but in sauce, duh me, I didn't have my glasses with me, but it also seems to have worked out!

Here they are out from the oven:

And I wrapped up a couple of garden magazines for her to read since she really loves to garden! Out the door I went to deliver them!
So now, Sarah and I would love to see what you pinned from Pinterest and let us know how it turned out. Did you change anything, do you recommend this or that? Let us know what you thought!  

Here are the guidelines for Project Pinterest:

1. Decide which pin on Pinterest you’d like to recreate.

2. Create it!

3. Flop or success, create a blog post about your re-do and include the original pin’s url.

4. Add the Project Pinterest button to your post so others can join in too!

5. Link up and check out other bloggers’ posts!

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margarita: noun

 a cocktail made with tequila, lemon or lime juice, and an orange-flavored liqueur, typically served in a chilled glass whose rim has been dipped into salt

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Hi y'all!

So glad you could stop by for a visit, take your jacket off, sit a spell....want something to drink? I have some cold sweet tea....oh something a little stronger?....well heck, let's whip up a batch of margaritas and PARTY, after all it's WOYWW and we have a lot of friends to visit!

So let's check out my desk...be careful, don't set your drink down on my desk 'cause I have my lesson #6 from Elizabeth's Altered Book Lover's class all finished! Take another sip and have a look around, you'll see my WOYWW badge held lovingly by my mojo monkey, Anne's altered tin, and signs of spring, a tissue box for allergies and a fan for the warmer weather!

Need a refill on that drink? My you are a thirsty one...or just a party girl? Which one is it? Well since you're still here, let me show you a card I have for CPS sketches this week. By the way, I won a set of  Sweet'n Sassy Stamps  from the CPS challenge last week! woo hoo...ooops spilled some of my drink on you there, here let me get a towel....so anyway..here is my card for their new

CPS #262 sketch challenge:

I admit I am in a bit of a partying mood myself, ( refilling glasses )...I have to tell you that I won the top 3 over at Frosted Designs  and I won the garden challenge over at Die Cuttin Divas! wow, huh?

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And to all my WOYWW friends, I have begun a weekly posting that allows you to link up any and all projects that you've created by being inspired through Pinterest. If you need an invitation to join Pinterest, then let me know and I'll send out the invite. I would love for you to join myself and Sarah from It's on the tip of my tongue for:

 Project Pinterest

Well the margaritas are all finished up, guess you'll be moving on to the next WOYWW....sure hope they have some chips...I'm hungry, are you?

                                                                                  

covet: verb

to want to have something very much

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I discovered a new challenge blog called DragonsDream Tag It On through one of my WOYWW friends May from May's Happy Daze. ( she is on their design team!! )

Their challenge this week: #114 is called The Secret Garden, after the book title. Good thing they let you go "beyond the obvious" because not only have I never read the book but I am making a tag for my mermaid altered book for Elizabeth's AB class from Altered Book Lover.

What a mermaid might covet for her secret garden:

a butterfly

palm tree

camera

wine

keys that represent a house and a car

flip flops for legs she will never have

holidays:

   snowglobe for Christmas

   chocolate bunny sucker for easter

   a fall leaf for Thanksgiving

   a box of chocolates for Valentines day

Looking at my tag makes me think I ended up more with a treasure chest than a garden but it is where the inspiration took me, plus I just realized that I forgot to use a stamp. Sorry, next time I will try and follow the rules better ;)

If you come back tomorrow you can get a peek of the page from my AB where I will be using the tag.
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Link up with Project Pinterest

hexagon: noun

a two-dimensional geometric figure formed of six sides

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Frosted Designs are really helping me to fulfill my man cards and their Fabulous Friday Challenge - Hexagons! is one of them. Hexagons make me think of bees, no matter how you color it or arrange them, I still think of honeycomb paper...and guess what? I happen to have some! lol I played up on the Birthday abbreviation....

Then all the altered art I have been doing is now slowly creeping into my everyday cards...First I inked the edges of the bee paper, but still thought it was too plain...so I laid a hexagon stencil on top of the honey comb pattern and sprayed it with my Angel Mist and tipped the paper to create the runs. ( does that sound as bad as I think it does?, lol ) Then, when that dried I laid some netting over that and pushed my ink pad into it for another layer of hexagon impressions! )

I love the bee I cut out from the Art Nouveau cartridge, the base of the wings I cut from a pattern vellum, his body is pop dotted up, I used stickles for his eyes and colored in the black bands of his body and then used Glossy Accents over that.

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Project Pinterest

broken: adjective

in two or more pieces

Mixed media is taking over my life, it has now entered the garden.

Went by my friend's house yesterday and spied this broken angel head tucked away in a bush and asked if I could have it, lol I LOVE how it looks on my birdbath! OK, so this totally makes me smile!

Mixed media gardening?

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Hiked yesterday to Cove Creek Falls, first time hiking in the rain...not really a terrible experience either.

I'm not sure why I am so attracted to taking pictures of mushrooms, bark, moss, etc. but I am and other wise putting it on my blog I don't do anything else with these types of pictures, never the less; there I am on the forest floor acting like an idiot! lol

 Cove Creek Falls

My favorite picture of the day. I am doing a weekly picture assignment and this week we are to take pictures of trees. This is what I wrote under my assignment:

"I have to say that I was so immersed in trying to find something unusual, different, that I just forgot I was on a hike to enjoy nature. Does anyone else find themselves trying so hard to find the perfect shot that they forget to relax and just 'enjoy nature'? Then I looked up and thought to myself..."wow, this is it! " For me, nature can be spiritual, maybe I just need to look up to heaven and let Him lead my focus."

And the last picture of the day, seemed to be marked by the last of a dogwood blooming. Can you tell the trail was wet? It was drizzling on me pretty good at this point.

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Have you loaded up your link to

Project Pinterest?

confessional booth: noun

A small enclosed stall in which a priest hears confessions

Ok, I know I am relatively new to the whole mixed media thing going on around me. My mixed media consists of, "oh I got paint AND ink on my fingers at the same time"! And..."let's add gesso" have been added to my vocabulary..and hey, I am feeling like I am a mixed media artist....I mean, I'm even doing an altered book via Elizabeth's class over at Altered Book Lover! I got my big girl panties on folks...I am ....

HEY, is someone sniggering out there?...I can hear you, ya know! lol ;)

Confession time: ( like I don't confess enough as it is, sometimes I think I should have my blog set up like a booth....but I regress....so here it is....my first time watching Donna Downey....there I said it, I admit it....and I just love her personality, she is sooooooooooo much fun to watch as the art itself!
So here, for anyone else that hasn't watched her Inspiration Wednesday videos before...and psssttt...I won't tell on you! Sit back, grab a bag of pop corn and enjoy:

                               

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And I want to say a big thank you to Ann from Redanne for sending me this adorable little altered tin. As most of you know I have been making a mermaid altered book and this just fits in with my sea theme. I LOVE this little seahorse all nestled into the seaweed! CUTE!! She is just the sweetest person for taking the time to send it to me too!

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And don't forget to link up your project that was inspired by a pin from Pinterest on 

Project Pinterest!

criteria: noun

an accepted standard used in making a decision or judgment about something

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First up, Challenge Me Monday #107 from Fantabulous Cricut and Cricut Cardz Challenge #106  from CARDZ TV, where we are to  "Make a project with an umbrella, rain, or clouds on it."

Well at first I couldn't think of a way to make a manly card using any of that criteria, until I thought about this image from Paper Dolls cartridge, I combined the tree landscape and clouds to create this Happy Birthday card. ( sorry the rub on sentiment does not show up well in the photo ). 

The ballon was made using a hole punch, a snippet of red paper for the balloon lip and a single strand of floss.

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I had gotten away from CPS Card Sketches but it sure does help to have a sketch to follow. This one is their sketch #261. I used 3 different pine papers and inked around the edges ( all from stash ) to layer with and then fussy cut the cardinal out from another paper. The oval die was cut from my Cricut cartridge, French Manor.

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and you might remember my ever evolving wreath, where I have the embellishments on pins so that they can be removed or moved around as needed and then kept for another time.

This is third evolution for this wreath:

1. snow flake wreath

2.spring wreath ( shows how I make the pins )

Unique Crafters April Challenge #2  and the theme is paper flowers

Flower Shoppe cartridge

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Don't forget to load up your Pinterest inspired project that I am now co-hosting with Sarah!

here!

Pinterest: noun

the new place to find inspiration for creativity

I am co-hosting Project Pinterest with Sarah over at It's on the tip of my tongue! I am so excited to be doing this with her! Make sure to pop over there to see projects created by other Pinnerettes!

and my motto is:

The day is here to post a project that you made using a pin as your inspiration. It does not have to be huge or complicated; it can be as simple as seeing if a seed is still viable:

pin brought to you by Fun Classroom Activities
( always give credit, please )

or as elaborate as this, and this one was an epic fail for me. Just to show you that you don't have to share success, failure needs to be shared too.  ;)

pin brought to you by Simply Spray

So here is my back porch swing chair that I wanted to paint using  Simply Spray, it is old and I was really hoping to revive it with some upholstery fabric paint.

Unfortunately I did not read their directions on their web site:

"Because the paint absorbs into the material and stays soft (instead of hardening on top of materials), the material you are painting must be lighter than the color of the paint you are using for color to show correctly. You can paint a tan couch black, but you can’t paint a black couch tan. The paint is not opaque so it cannot make darker colors lighter."

If I had read the above, I would have realized that my green stripe was not going to get covered by the paint. Also, they don't have a color swatch and I guessed at my color choice....oh bad mistake, very bad mistake! lol This is my result using 3 cans of their paint. A costly lesson, but oh well, I tried!
But I should add that the pin picture made it look like you can paint a darker furniture a lighter color with success. :( Nevertheless I should have read the FAQ's.

Thank goodness I also painted the furniture too! lol Back to slip covering!

So whether it was a fantastic success, an epic fail, or anything in between, post it and tell us about your experience. Just make sure to give credit where it's due ;) Sarah and I will each choose a favorite project each week and feature the "winning" project on the next week's Project Pinterest post and you'll get this "I've Been Featured on Project Pinterest" button to proudly display on your blog!


1.  Enter the URL of your blog post here - NOT your homepage. It makes it easier for everyone to find your project!

2. All projects should be Pinterest inspired AND include a link to the original source or pin. This is just etiquette folks, always support your source!

3. You can enter previously pinned projects as long as they haven't been linked up before!

Please use the Project Pinterest button on your post and tell others to link up their Pinteresting Project!

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