ScrapN'Dipity for October 2016

There has been so much going on for me that it's been really tough to keep up.  I am now the Coordinator of Volunteers at a wonderful place called Heartland Forest.  They make so many things possible for so many groups; wheelchair accessibility for walks in the forest, programs for those with Autism, Downs etc.  I am also heavily involved with the craft program for all groups.  I have been busy testing and making up samples for their corporate Christmas parties, crafts for birthday parties and crafts for their upcoming Pumpkinfest event.  This has pretty turned into being a full time job for me but I'm loving it! 

October's design team project for ScrapN'Dipity was a card.  I love these hippie girls so much that I decided to use them again this month.  (I have so many projects in my mind where I can use them that I could probably use them every month.)  This time I did a little water colouring as a base on my card.  Here's my card, I hope you enjoy it. 

There are several varieties, different hair colours, different coloured dresses here.

If you would like to enter your project on the ScrapN'Dipity blog you can do so here.

Rose the Hippy from ScrapN'Dipity

I just love these hippie stamps that Alisha has designed.  The faces are absolutely adorable on them.  I have so many friends that like me are children of the '70's.  I am planning to make up a large batch of birthday cards to keep on hand for these friends.  More about that later.  For September I decided to make a photo folio to house all of those '70's child pictures that I keep finding.  I decided I should make something to house them all so they will stay together. 

I watched so many YouTube tutorials on making these that I'm not even sure where the instructions came from.  I had made the notes, recording the sizes but forgot to list who the tutorial came from.  I want to say that it came from My Sister's Scrapper because I watch a great deal of her work. 

I haven't placed any photos in it yet because I wanted to show off the really cool paper that I used.  As soon as Alicia came out with Rose the Hippy I knew the paper that was going to be perfect.   You can find the image to purchase here!   As always, comments are welcome, I just ask that you be kind!  Thanks for taking a look!

August DT Project for Scrap N' Dipity

Calling all Halloween Fans out there!  After taking a short break because of my knee replacement, I am happy to be back with the August Design Team Project for Scrap N' Dipity.  Alisha has outdone herself with this one folks!  She is offering this new image not only as a black and white download that you can colour for yourself but get this; she's also offering it coloured and ready to print!  Some folks are amazing with their Copics and Spectrum Noirs.  They have the blending down to a fine art.  Several of our Design Team members are such people.  Actually they probably all are.  I am not.  I have tried and sometimes the image comes out okay but mostly not.

So when Alisha offered this image pre coloured, of course I snapped it up.  I printed this image off on a 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of white cardstock.  I actually had the image x 4 on the one sheet.  I have used 3 and saved the 4th for another project that I had in mind.  By using the pre coloured image I was able to make up 3 cards in the time it would've taken me to do 1 if I coloured it.  The colours are all boldly vivid and it looks like I've done an excellent job with my colouring.  It was so easy to make a card and have the image "pop."  I made one for a friend who has a Halloween birthday, I made one as an invitation to a Halloween Party and one as a Happy Halloween card for a friend who loves Halloween more than Christmas!  Can you imagine?  LOL  So instead of mailing her a Christmas card, I mail a Happy Halloween card.   3 cards in the time it takes to make one.  If your colouring skills still need practice, there's no need to put your card making on hold until you think you perfect it.  I will still be using my markers to practice but for now I have 3 cards that look good because of Alisha's image. 

As if all of this wasn't incentive enough, here's one more.  Alisha currently has this image on sale for only $1.00!  Regular price $3.50.  I'm horrible at math but I think that's like 70% off! 

Here's the link to buy Josie Zombie Witch. 

Comments are always welcome, but please remember to be kind!  Thanks for coming by!

Whoo Hoo! Two posts in one day!

Wow!  2 posts in one day.  I'm trying to get caught back up after being off with my knee replacement.  Here is another mini album that I made for a dear friend of mine.  Her daughter had a beautiful baby boy in April.  The nursery was decorated in The Lion King theme and I had hoped that I could do the same for the mini album.  But it wasn't meant to be....there is no scrapbooking paper out there in that theme.  At least nothing that I could find.  So I picked up some paper in various animal prints and set about to make the mini album using those.  I also picked up a Lion King storybook and cut out some of the pictures.  I matted them on cardstock and used them for photo mats.  There are plenty of flip outs and pockets to house tons of pictures of the gorgeous little addition to their family!  As always your comments are welcome.  I don't mind constructive criticism but please I just ask that you be kind. 

I'm Back! I'm Back!

I can't believe I haven't been here since May!  I had a total knee replacement done on May 26 and it's taken me a while to recover and get back in the swing of things.  Exercises became a full time job along with physiotherapy appointments and doctor's appointments.  But I seem to be on the mend now.  I am finally at the point where I can sit long enough to create something.  Before it hurt too much to have my knee bent for such a long period.  The physiotherapist that came to my house was excellent.  She was kind but firm, showed me a ton of exercises to strengthen and to be able to bend that knee more and more.  She was also full of tips and tricks that helped me a great deal.  When she mentioned that she was getting married in November I thought that the perfect little thank you gift for her would be for me to make her a wedding mini album in her wedding colours.  I am proud of the way it turned out.  I really tried to watch a ton of YouTube videos to see how to do various flips, flaps, flops LOL!  When I gave it to her, she told me she got goosebumps and that it was the most thoughtful gift anyone has ever given her.  She kept hugging me and thanking me and telling me she would drop by to show me the filled out version once she had her wedding photos.  Here are some pics showing the different pages in it.  For the first time I tried to do Kathy Orta's Hidden Hinge system and I'm a little embarrassed to say that I mucked it up a little.  It looked so easy!  I used red line tape and maybe that was my mistake.  I wanted it to hold like nothing else but the problem was when I tried to attach my page.  I didn't get it quite down far enough before it stuck and I had a bugger of a time getting it back off again.  I managed to stick it back down but not before I had a few choice words at my misfortune!  I topped off the front with some handmade flowers.  I finally got to use the flower shaping kit that I purchased from Heartfelt Creations and it worked beautifully!   LOL  As always, your comments are welcome, good or bad.  Just be kind!  Oh and if anyone has any hints about getting the page slipped onto the hinge all the way before it sticks, please let me know.  I would really appreciate it! 

This is one of the YouTube videos with Kathy Orta explaining her hidden hinge binding system.  I had watched several of her videos but here's one you can watch in case you'd like to try it. 

Here's the link for the flower shaping tool. 

May Challenge at Scrap N' Dipity

Hello Everyone!  I can't believe we're in the middle of May already.  As I get older and older I'm finding that time is just flying by so quickly.  So let's get right down to business. 

I had a really tough time deciding which adorable image I wanted to use for the May challenge but finally went with the ballerina.  It actually features 3 ballerinas but I decided to just focus on one for my card.  My message of "Dance Like Nobody's Watching" is a reminder to myself to not get caught up in following the leader.  This is especially true when it comes to my passion of card making and scrap booking.  It's a reminder to stay true to what I like, as far as style goes, as far as supplies go.

I was in a craft store recently and spent about an hour looking at different supplies, checking out new items.  I headed to the cash register and as I was laying my items on the counter I found myself asking "why are you buying that?"  Was it just because it was a popular item that I was seeing a lot of people on YouTube using it or was it because I was truly interested in trying it out for myself.  The answer was actually that I wanted it because I saw others using it.  I put the item back.  I decided then that I was going to change the way I make my purchases for my hobbies from then on.  I decided to not just make things because others were making them but because it was something that I was interested in.  So "Dance Like Nobody's Watching" means to me that I need to create as if no one is looking at it.  Create what comes from the heart.  So this lovely little ballerina is a reminder for me to do just that.  If you would also like to get this image you can find her here.

If you would like to join our challenge at Scrap N' Dipity you can go here.

 

Just a little side note.  Some of you may already know how bad my knees have been, particularily the right one.  The arthritis has finally worn me down, literally.  It's bone on bone and the pain has been really bad.  I have been told several times that they didn't want to do surgery because of my age.  (I'm 55)  However, I did see an orthopedic surgeon at the end of April and he has agreed to do the surgery for me.  Surprisingly I was given a date for the surgery of May 26!  That has given me one month to get everything done.  Trust me when I say that EVERY single day has been busy for me.  With that being said, I'm not exactly sure of when I will post again.  It will all depend on how I'm feeling and whether I'm able to create.  Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers so that surgery will go well and that recovery will not be a brutal one.  I will be back as soon as I can!  Meanwhile, remember to "Dance Like Nobody's Watching!" 

 

Hoarding Lady is at it again!

I don't like to waste paper.  This all started a few years back when I started scrapbooking.  I would happily add layers of various gorgeous scrapbooking papers to my layouts but I always ended up with bits and pieces of paper to beautiful to throw out.  So I started making cards with the leftovers and found a new hobby that I was enjoying very much.  The trouble was that even after making the cards I still had bits and pieces of that gorgeous paper left over, much tinier bits but still...I didn't want to throw those out either.  So I ended up making gift cards, gift tags and even some tiny thank you cards for a friend who sells her crafting.  She started handing out the tiny gems to anyone buying her goodies and it became a win/win situation.  She was able to give a nice handmade thank you to her customers and I got to spread my name by using my stickers on the backs of her cards.  So at Easter I had posted about using the leftover bits from my punches to decorate some Easter eggs for my cards.  (Here's the link to that post if anyone would like to see what I did. Easter Eggs Post. 

Recently I received an order for some cards that would have a Ladybug theme on them.  I did have some Ladybug patterned paper left and used that but wanted to add a special touch onto the front of the cards.  The person ordering just wanted the cards to be blank with no occasion or sentiments on them.  I do have a Cricut as well as a cartridge that would've cut some Ladybugs out just using some red cardstock and black cardstock.  But no.....I had to challenge myself.  I was using a Martha Stewart punch to add a little decorative touch to separate the 2 different patterned papers when I noticed something.  The "garbage" part from the punch included tiny round dots that instantly made me think of the polka dots on a Ladybug.  Also there were some other pieces that made me think I could make an entire Ladybug from the negative pieces and I would just need a circle punch out.  So I punched some circles from red cardstock.  I started playing around with the garbage bits and came up with a cute little Ladybug that took it's place of honour on her cards.  I think she's going to love them.  I loved the challenge of once again making something from nothing.  I think I'm going to make this a regular feature on here.  Maybe once a month or so, I will see what I can make with stuff that otherwise would be garbage.  As always, your comments are welcome! 

April Challenge at Scrap N'Dipity

I've been going through a number of baby cards as well as sympathy cards lately.  Seems ironic doesn't it?  I've also had a craft sale in the mix that I've been getting ready for.  That always means a bit of a stressful time as I rush to not only keep up with obligations with classes both paid and volunteer but also personal orders for cards and mini albums and then trying to make lots of new cards for my craft shows.  Generally it's birthday cards that I need to really try to keep up with but as I mentioned, lately it's been birth and sympathy.  That is why for my Design Team project this month with Scrap N'Dipity I chose to double up and make a couple of cards instead of just one.   I chose this image of an absolutely adorable bear flying a kite and it's appropriately named "Lil Bear Fly a Kite.)   Perfect opportunity to make one to welcome a baby girl and one to welcome a baby boy. 

I'd love to invite you to join us for our April Challenge at Scrap N'Dipity.  It's "Anything Goes" which is my favourite!  Just follow the instructions given in the above link.  You can enter once with any other image but you can enter TWICE if you're using an image from Scrap N'Dipity!  I can't wait to see what you all come up with!

 

Watercolor Cards

I've been wanting to learn how to water colour for the longest time.  I love the soft look it presents, especially with flowers.  I decided to take a couple of classes at my LSS (local scrapbooking store.)  First we explored watercolours by using basic cardstock backgrounds but doing some water colouring on stamped items.  For the stamps we used Tim Holtz Crazy Birds which were a lot of fun.  We used Ken Oliver's Color Bursts for our water color pigment.  Here are the cards that we made during those two classes.  I love the way they turned out and I will be adding both the Color Bursts and Tim Holtz stamps to my wish list so that I can experiment some more on my own.  Enjoy! (Oh and yes I realize that it's almost April and I have a Valentine's card in the bunch but that's what the store was offering.)  As always, your feedback is appreciated;  please leave a comment letting me know whether you enjoyed these or even if you didn't.  :)