Look at me, look at you / Searching for the purest blue

I so enjoyed making my Jane's Addiction-inspired card that I decided to make another song-inspired card.

In that post, I talked about my best friend from college, and our experiences also influenced this card. One of my favorite memories is when we went to see Porno for Pyros (the second-generation Jane's Addiction) at Club Rio in Tempe ... they had advertised a "Special Guest," and we were about the only people there when the opening band came on... We were 19 at the time, and so described them as "a bunch of old guys who played like nothing we'd ever experienced." Well, it ended up being Love and Rockets, an incredible band that influenced so many of the artists we all love. We were literally front-row for their performance (it was a standing-only club, no seats), but by the time Porno for Pyros took the stage the club was packed and we were caught up in surge of people... I weighed less than 100 pounds back then, and I remember my friend (who is over 6 feet tall) holding me as we were swept backwards into the crowd... I could have been trampled it if wasn't for him, but of course we then fought our way back towards the front! Good times!

Anyhoo, shortly afterwards I got my hands on a copy of Love and Rocket's album Earth.Sun.Moon. and took to listening to it while watching the sunrise every morning. I was staying with my parents at the time, and they have the most beautiful view of mountains from their back porch; I could time it just right so that as the tape played the track "Waiting For The Flood" the sun poured over the mountains and lit up the landscape. With those memories in mind, I made this card:

Inspiration/Challenges:
Annabelle Stamps Challenge: Sketch Challenge
Anything Goes Challenge #85: Monochrome

The cherry blossom images are from a Flourished set, and I stamped them in "Night Sky" VersaMagic chalk ink and colored the petals with a white pencil. I added hand-stitching with a light blue thread. The papers are all DPs from my stash. I think this blue monochrome scheme reflects the color of the landscape in those seconds before the sun fully rose...

Thank you for visiting & rock on,

Where green grass grows there can't be wrong

Although most of my cards tend to be on the "sweet" side, in my personal life I tend to like art & music that is more on the edge. Like, dangling off the edge and screaming. For example, one of my favorite bands of all time is Jane's Addiction, in part because that's what I listened to with my best friend from college. We lived in Arizona, and would take long drives out in the desert or up through Oak Creek Canyon or into the winding roads to Jerome, listening to Perry Farrell's wailing and wondering what we wanted from life. We've remained friends all these years, and have shared the joys and sorrows that come from being strong-willed and naturally rebellious.

You may remember the "ballsy" card I made for him last year; I wanted to make him something special, so I decided to use a line from Jane's Addiction's "Ain't No Right"... 

I used two double-sided papers from BoBunny; I printed the lyrics in brown (set in three versions of Ablefont) directly onto the DP, and added a little dimension to the piece with Vintage Photo distress ink. The banners were cut with dies from a•muse studio's Cupcake Toppers set, and I used Creative Medium to give them a shine & make them pliable.

I added hand-stitching on the ribbon; it's really light, but worth it I think. Here's a close-up:

I feel like there's a sort of Medieval Festival vibe going on here... which I think Perry Farrell would appreciate. As he once said, "Don't blame me 'cause you got no honor in your life ... don't blame me 'cause you have no chivalry in your soul!"

Inspiration/Challenges:
Clean & Simple: Sketch #225
Dynamic Duos #37: Soft Suede and Crumb Cake
Glitter n Sparkle: Male Card

Thank you for visiting & rock on,

Doodlin' with Roy G Biv

I had so much fun using this week's Less Is More sketch for my leafy CAS card the other day, that I just had to try it again. This time, I was inspired by the "Use Markers" challenge at CAS-ual Fridays as well as the "Doodle a Frame" challenge at Speedy and Friends.

For the color band, I used the "texturing with Copic blender solution" technique that I learned from my mom via Copic Diva Jennifer Dove. My current favorite fabric to use is scrap Aida cloth from my cross-stitching projects. I used my Copics to make a color-block band, soaked a strip of fabric in Colorless Blender Solution, and simply pressed it on top of the colored band. Presto! 

Then I stamped the sentiment in black, and then again with SU! Craft White ink, and traced it with a black glaze pen.

I used an XS PITT Artist pen to doodle the frame; this is a doodle that I've been doing for years but it's the first time I've used it on a card. But it won't be the last!

Inspiration/Challenges:
CAS-ual Fridays: Use markers
Less Is More: Sketch (2nd entry)
Speedy and Friends # 144: Doodle a frame

Thank you for visiting,

Fun with New Goodies

As you may know, my mom is perhaps more of a crafter than I am, and thanks to her local craft shop, Scraps of Love, we get our hands on some incredible products. For example, this gorgeous Authentique paper, "Majesty," from their Splendid collection. I actually grabbed it for the striped side, but I realized that I could cut out the center of one of the florals to make a shaker card. Mom also hooked me up with two jars of Martha Stewart glass microbeads, so I tried my hand at gluing them onto a scalloped border. I need to perfect the technique, but I really like the effect. In the past, I've only used microbeads for shaker cards; which I did again (see photo on right).

The sentiment is from the Rosy Wishes set by Crafty Secrets/Clear Art Stamps, and reads, "May all that's good and true / Cheer you this joyous day, / And the rosy leaves of happiness / Be strewn upon your way." This is my first time using it, but I'm thinking I'll be using it often! I stamped it in Spanish Olive VersaMagic chalk ink. I cut some butterflies with Stampin Up's Beautiful Wings Embosslit, featuring the striped side of the paper.

I'm thinking I'll have to make more of this card!

Inspiration/Challenges:
Paper Shelter Challenge #96: Anything goes
Scrappy Frogs: Try Something New (This is my first time using microbeads as an embellishment. So fun!)
WordArt Wednesdays #64: Anything goes (2nd entry)

Thank you for visiting,

Simply Natural

If you follow this blog, you know that CAS isn't really my thing, but I like to try it every once in a while. I really love this week's color combo at The Play Date Cafe, so I paired it with the truly CAS sketch at Less Is More to make this:

 The sentiment is from the Wildflowers set by Crafty Secrets/Clear Art Stamps. I love this white leaf garland; I added color with Copics. I popped the band with foam tape, and that's it! I think I'll be making more of these... really like how it came out.
 

Inspiration/Challenges:
Card Makin' Mamas: Clean and simple Card
Less Is More: Sketch #8
The Play Date Cafe: Black & White + a Splash of Emerald Green
WordArt Wednesdays #64: anything goes

Thank you for visiting,

The Puzzle of Love

Time for another fun challenge at One Stitch at a Time - Use a Digi.
I chose Missing Piece by Reeces Scraps for myself & teamie Vicky (her card is so different from mine, and so fabulous!.

I printed the image out on Kraft, some pretty DP, and a white cardstock for the back message portion.

Inspiration/Challenges:

1. Artistic Inspirations: More than one fold
2. Brown Sugar: Valentines
3. C.R.A.F.T.: Valentines Day/Love
4. Crafty Ribbons: Love/Romance/Anniversary
5. DL.ART Thankful Thursday Challenge: Use Red or Pink
6. Melonheadz Friends Challenge: Use a Digi
7. Ruby's Rainbow: Valentines
8. Southern Girls: Get Krafty
9. Whimsical Designs: Love

Hope you'll join the "Use a digi" challenge at One Stitch at a Time this week (and be sure to check out my teamies' fabulous projects). For entries using a StitchyBear Store product (be sure to add a # after your name when entering), you'll be eligible for our sponsor prize. You're welcome to enter the challenge using different products, but instead you'll be entered into the draw to win a £3 coupon to StitchyBear Digi Stamps. Can't wait to see what you create! 

Thank you for visiting,

More Snowy Fun with Sunshine Mail

There are a few more days left to enter the "Snow Much Fun" Sunshine Mail Foundation Challenge. The only real rule is that you send in at least one card (Donation guidelines here). 

We're sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps, and I loved their Winter Sock Monkey digi so much that I just had to make another card!

I used the free font Scrap-Snow for the sentiment again...actually, this was a scrap I had from making the first card.

I used my new favorite Cuttlebug embossing folder; I guess this snow scene one is discontinued, but I found it at an Estate Sale while visiting my mom this winter. It's not my usual thing, but it was only $2 and I thought it would be fun... Well, as I'm checking out several women told me that it's actually very hard to find! Oh well, they should have snapped it up first ha ha! I embossed it a couple of times and then cut it down to make some more layers. I mounted the scene onto another white piece that I embossed with a polka-dot folder. Simple, yet fun!

Inspiration/Challenges:
Addicted to CAS: Embossing
Creative Stamp Friends: Winter/Wintersport

Digi Haven: Winter/snow + digi
Sweet n' Sassy Digi Challenge: It's all white
Sweet Pea Stampers: Clean and Simple no embellishments

Thank you for visiting & hope you'll join us this month for the Sunshine Mail Foundation Challenge,

Snow Much Fun at Sunshine Mail

Whoop, it's the first Sunshine Mail Foundation Challenge of the year! We have a talented & expanded design team, a name change (formerly Card Cupids), and the organization plans on sending cards & care packages to more people than ever.

Our challenge theme is "Snow Much Fun", and the only real rule is that you send in at least one card (Donation guidelines here). 

We're sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps, so I used one of their adorable Winter Sock Monkey digis for this card.

I used the free font Scrap-Snow for the sentiment; what can I say, the title of our challenge seemed perfect for the sentiment too!

Inspiration/Challenges:
Artistic Inspirations: Anything Goes
Bugaboo Sunday Challenge: Stella Says Sketch & 3 of Something (3 snowflakes; 3 papers; 3 instances of glitter Skickles - 2 snowflakes & ball on hat)
Card Makin' Mamas: Anything Goes
Digi Darla Challenge: Anything Goes
Digi Makeover Challenge: Winter Wonderland + digi stamp
Eureka Stamps: Layer It Up & Let It Snow

Thank you for visiting,

Anything Goes at One Stitch at a Time

It's time for another fun "Anything Goes" challenge at One Stitch at a Time!

My teamie Vicky chose for her & myself this time around, and totally challenged me with Mermaid's Revenge by Delicious Doodles. Since this is an "Anything Goes" challenge, our wonderful coordinator Choccy asked that some of us make something other than a card, so I made a very funky Post-It Note holder:

I just love the digis from Delicious Doodles; they are so fun & interesting, and I had a blast coloring this with my Copics and Glaze pens.

I used Cuttlebug's 3x3 Bubble Frame Die/Emboss Combo for the frame, but since the image was larger I cut down two to make the frame (I used some of the scrap for the inside).
Actually, all of the paper used for this project is from my scrap box. Even the blue cross stitch fabric is a scrap!

The blue flourishes are a Sizzix die cut that I actually found in my scraps... can't remember now what I originally cut it! I've had the little plastic bone buttons (with shanks removed) for the longest time, and was excited to have a funky way to use them.

I generated the sentiment myself using the font Bleeding Freaks, making the outline (or "stroke") red for the first letters and blue for the rest. Thought it worked nicely for the undersea vampire theme. I printed it onto shiny gold paper (Recollections), cut it by hand, and drew the border with a white Glaze pen.

I'm really into cross stitching right now (see my other projects here), so I whipped up a little skull pattern, complete with gold tooth. Too fun! It's glued into an ornamental bottlecap.

Here it is opened up:

I started with a 4.5 x 12 inch strip and scored it at 4.75, 5.25, 10, and 10.5. I used some scrap magnet to make a closure. I ran the seashell-patterned ribbon through a small piece of paper (the same glittered black Core'dinations cardstock I used for the base) to make a loop for the small pen. This holds a regular 3x3 "sticky note" pad.

Inspiration/Challenges:

1. Allsorts Challenge Week 189: Dies and Punches
2. Crafty Cardmakers: Create a Fairytale Scene (Okay, it's a pretty dark fairytale, but hope it counts!)
3. Digi Haven: Sparkles & Bling
4. Divas by Design #67: Anything goes 
5. Eureka Stamps: Make it Sparkle
6. Haunted Design House Macabre Mondays: Anything dark/Gothic
7. Penny's Paper-Crafty #109: Anything goes
8. Songbird Challenges: Paint It Black (LOVE this song!)

Thank you for visiting & hope you'll join us this week at One Stitch at a Time,

Old-fashioned Pixels

So for the first time in this century (actually since 1996) I rang in the New Year without a cigarette. I would have crafted straight through midnight if not for the fireworks (we're only about 3 miles north of Baltimore's Inner Harbor) that woke up my dog Allen, who then needed immediate love and attention. I wouldn't have it any other way!

I quit smoking 7 weeks ago, and I did it with the help of cross stitching. I found myself a few projects and found it really helpful in keeping me busy.

So...I've been cross stitching all weekend. I made this simple pattern based on a rubber stamp design. I stamped the stamp itself in SU! Whisper White on black paper.

rotated 90° counter-clockwise

The "stitching" on the border of the card is actually a SP & Co. stamp; I used Memento Tuxedo Black ink.


Inspiration/Challenges:
CAS Colours and Sketches Challenge #4: Sketch
Allsorts: Black and White
Hotshot Crafts: Clean and Simple




Here are some other designs I made this weekend:

I couldn't find a free pattern for these Space Invaders characters, so I made them (thanks to the document grid in InDesign). I'm not sure what I'm going to do with this piece yet...

I designed these myself too, so that they would fit in these 1x1-inch bottle caps. I cut circles from magnet sheets using a Sizzix die and glued them onto the bottle caps to make magnets.

These patterns are available as PDFs; just shoot me an email if you want one or both. (CGsaysSomethingLoudly [at] gmail [dot] com)


And here are a couple of projects I made for Christmas Gifts:

My Mother-in-law's favorite movie is The Wizard of Oz, so I made this for her for Christmas. I got the pattern for this at Sewing Seed, and I plan on making the whole set this year. I found the frame for like a $1 at my mom's church's Thrift Store.

This was a gift for my mom; she mentioned how lovely white-on-red fabric would be, so I found a free pattern for a Coeur Fleuri. I colored the wooden frame with red Tattered Angels glimmer mist, and added liquid pearls on the front & sides. I covered the hoop closure with white Silk Crush ribbon from May Arts, and a plastic red bird charm from Popalicious Too (I received it in a blog candy).

Not bad for 7 weeks, huh?! So far, 2013 is looking good!

Thank you for visiting & Happy New Year,

Mo's Wonderful Time of the Year

How has it already been another year ... I guess time goes fast when you're crafting! I've had a great December full of traveling and visiting family, and now I'm looking forward to a new year full of ... well, all those things that come up when you're an adult!

I thought that the current challenge at Mo's Digital Pencil would be a nice way to both reflect on 2012 and welcome in 2013: We're to pick our favorite Mo's Digital Pencil project of 2012. I was sort of surprised to see that I only made four projects in 2012 (You can see all of my projects using Mo's images here), but I just had to choose Silky Puppy Love:

Silky Puppy Love, February 20, 2012

As you can tell, I had too much fun making that card!

Last year I used Mo's Fan's Cricket to make a Chinese New Year card, so figured I should do the same for 2013. Didn't get this in the mail in time for Western New Year's, so maybe I can send it to someone for the Chinese New Year! 

I printed everything (including the sentiment by TLC Creations, which I inverted) onto shiny Recollections papers (gold, charcoal, white). I was inspired by the lovely sketch from The Sketch File. I used the font Silentina Movie for the Charlie Chaplin quote ("Nothing is permanent in this wicked world, not even our troubles."), some beautiful Graphic 45 paper, and added a bit of white leaf ribbon. 

The Sketch File

Inspiration/Challenges:

1. ATCs & Cards With Attitude: Celebrations
2. Brown Sugar: Happy New Year
3. Fat Pages With Attitude: Celebrations
4. Kenny K's Krafty Krew: It's Party Time (NY celebration card)
5. Little Claire's: Happy New Year
6. Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge #238: New Year Inspired
7. Polka Doodles: Happy New Year
8. Pixie Dust Studio: Any Celebration will do
9. Sunny Challenges: New Year's
10. The Sketch File: Sketch

Update: This was awarded a Top 3 spot at Brown Sugar. Thank you!

Thank you for visiting,