Perspective

Yea!  It's Thursday!!!!  This week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch:

Check out what the Design Team made for your inspiration!!!  Here's mine:

I love this pic...it seemed rather ordinary at first, actually almost delete-able.  My daughter had gotten ahold of my camera again and went papparazzi on us.   Here's the original:

Leave it to my husband to notice you can see my daughter's reflection in my sunglasses!

Everything is perspective.

Notice that YUMMY text flower????  That is a gen-u-ine Sketchy Thursdays' Diana original creation!!!!!  How stinkin cute is that??  Check out her etsy store...it's chock-full of yumminess!

The base paper, ponchello, yellow heart and pink button, and beaded and ball trims are from the Pink Ninja Addicts' Don't Get It Twisted kit.

And how about those NEW Sassafras Lass Nerdy Bird flag banner, border from the journal tags, and glitter alpha?  New arrivals over in the Torendi store along with some other new Sass stuff!!!

Come play along with us this week on Sketchy Thursdays.  Hook up your creation to Mr. Linky in the sidebar by next Wednesday for a chance to win some goodies from Your Memories Here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Heidi

All Stars

Yea!  It's Pink Ninjas Wednesday!!!!!

The new challenge, compliments of this month's Ninja Star the fabulous Gilly (get to know her here):  prompt - favorite, technique - retro/vintage (pre-90's style), pink twist - fabric.

Yup, just got some All-Stars for my all stars!!!    OK, so the paper is a little more reminiscent of Vans than Chucks but either way the whole thing takes me back to the 80s.  I had my share of both brands. (Sheesh, I can't even tell you how many different colors of checkerboard Vans I had!  Wish I had me another pair right now.  Hmmmmm...I feel a shopping trip coming on.  But I digress...)

   
I can't tell you how many times I had these blue and white letter stickers in my hands at Target and put them back and then I ended up finally getting them about a week ago and would you look at that!  They just went perfectly!  Karma I tell ya!!

OK, ignore the fact that my kids look like they're either going to die of boredom or beat the s**t out of you in this pic but I wanted to show a close up of the "picniking" I did on it.  It's got a 60s color tint with an HDR-ish camera treatment on it.  Doesn't it look like something straight out of a 60s magazine (or your old magnetic albums)?  Seriously, if you haven't checked out picnik.com yet, get your booty over there now!  I use it now for all my photo editing, ignoring my Photoshop program that I paid for! 

I soooo love my pink love, elsie fabric and am going to be so sad when it's all gone.  See the plastic hanger tags peeking out from the Chucks tag??  I have had one of those tagger machines for I want to say years and this is the first time I finally used it.  Sad, eh?  And notice the two eyelets?  Ever notice there are always a couple of little eyelet air holes in the sides of All-Stars? 

Loving these little clear acrylic stars and the flocked letterman alpha that come in the Ninja Addicts' "Mommy's Little Monster" kit!!!   (As did the checkerboard paper.)

I cannot gush enough at the gorgeousness and value of the Ninja Addicts kits!  Seriously, they RAWK!!  And have you seen the sneak peek of March's kit Carousel yet???  ~swoon~

My little girl, incidentally, starts ballet class today!!!!!!!  Again, Karma. 

Hop on over to the Pink Ninjas blog to check out what the rest of the DT made for your inspiration.  You're going to be blown away. 

Have an all star Wednesday!

Heidi

Orange You Glad It's Monday?

It's Monday which means it's time for your next scrumptious installment of the Design Dollies's color challenge. 

Orange, brown, and a neutral (black, white, ivory, kraft, etc.)

So I went punny on you:

This is probably the first (and possibly still only) knock knock joke my kids know in its entirety. 

Please excuse the wrinkle-i-ness of the layout...it's very thin patterned paper and all the Dymo labels are trying to make it curl up.   (And we're going to pretend either the black labels are brown or the words and monkey are light orange since technically I have TWO neutrals on here...)

More Picnik.com fun.  Focal black & white plus "panography" (which makes it look like several different pics overlaid on one another).  I ~heart~ Picnik in case you hadn't caught that yet.  LOL. 

Hop on over to the Design Dollies site to see what the DT made for your inspiration and play along with us!!  You could win this:

 The Dollies have the BEST prizes!!!

It's been raining here all weekend so I'm in a baking mood.  Hmmmmm, I'm inspired to make banana bread. 

- Heidi

Details:  Recollections paper, Dymo labels, Jolie's sticker, Provo Craft gromlets, picnik.com photo editing.

Sleeping Babies & Cowboys

This week has just flown by!  (I say that a lot, don't I?)

It's already time again for our Sketchy Thursdays challenge!!! 

This week's sketch is sponsor by Pixie Cottage Stamps and our DT were lucky enough to get to try some of the HUGE, suitable-for-layouts PCS stamps. 

To give you an idea just how huge this particular stamp is, this is a 4-1/4" circle and I still had to cut some of the image off!!  Isn't it just darling???  I love the pouty baby lips!  I colored both the image and the Prima flowers with oil pastels using my fingers.  When it comes to shading I'm so not good with tools.  Gotta go with the hands. 

Isn't this paper GORJUS?????  Is a new DCWV Stack called Vintage.  There are some awesome images in there including a few Anne Taintor-like gems.  Lots of yummy sparkle, too. 

I also created this layout with the current These Are a Few of My Favorite Things challenge in mind:  "these are a few of my favorite memories".  My daughter was not a quiet baby.  For her first 6 months she cried ALL THE TIME and pretty much refused to go to anyone other than mommy.  So some of my fondest memories of this time are when she slept, LOL!!!!! 

Did you notice the flower centers??  I just can't keep away from those Martha Stewart microbeads!!!!!  There are gold and kelly green ones on the flowers to mimic the flowers on the paper. 

Hop on over to the Sketchy Thursdays blog to check out what the rest of the DT made for your inspiration and play along with us for a chance to win some tasty goodness from Pixie Cottage Stamps.  

I have to make special mention of the layout this month's Guest Design Team Member, Sandra made for this sketch.  OMG - you MUST simply go over and take a look.  It's freakin' awesome!!!!!  The woman QUILLED a ton of flowers for Pete's sake!  I now MUST learn to quill, LOL! 

Details:  Paper - DCWV, Stampin' Up!; Stamps - Pixie Cottage Stamps, EK Success, Karen Foster; Ink - StazOn, Colorbox; Prima flowers; Martha Stewart microbeads; Stickles; oil pastels, thread; unknown ribbon.

Thursdays are also host to a sketch challenge on the Design Dollies.

I am so loving Kristy's sketches this month in particular.  I love all the fun fonts she's included for the titles. 

I started out going in a totally different direction for this sketch and as I was looking through a box of pics I came across these of my son circa 1-year-old in his adorable cowboy costume.  I loved this costume and was sad to see him outgrow it.  It was so plush and soft and just stinkin cute. 

I mean, seriously, is this just about the cutest cowboy ever????? 

Jump on over to the Design Dollies blog, too, to check out what the rest of the DT made for you. 

While you're over there, be sure to check out the DT Call!!!!  I can't believe I'm already almost 2/3 of the way thru my term.  Three months goes FAST.   I have been so lucky to work with this amazing group of gals, both the Founding Dollies (Adina, Kristy, and Leah) and the DT (Ellen & Nicole) and I'll be sad to see the term end.  This site has some of the most amazing challenges out there and the prizes are killer!!! 

Details:  Paper - DCWV, K&Co; Flair Designs vellum quote; Deluxe Designs word tag; Petals & Possibilities metal star; unknown star brads and grommets; twine.

Well, there you have it...two sketchy inspiration possibilities. 

Hope to see you play along!

Heidi

p.s.  Probably by the time you read this post my counter will have tipped over the top of 20,000 hits!!!!  I am so completely honored that you all stop by and thank each and every one of you!!!!!  Virtual hugs!!!

Robot Love, Fan Love, & DT Love

Yea!  We're back from the snow.  So happy to be home to our (tee hee) 77 degree weather.  Yes, I know I'll be lamenting and whining about the 110+ degrees in just a few months' time but this time of year is why I suppose we stick it out the rest of the year. 

Gotta share the cute little card I made for the hubs for V-Day:

Have I mentioned I love the BamPop!???  Any BamPop!  This cutie-patootie robot was snipped off of one of the new papers in the BamPop! Vol. 2 Collection available on Torendi. 

And, of course we have our perennial fave Cosmo Cricket Earth Love background.  This is one of the possible designs available in the Torendi "Joy" kit now on sale and supplies are going fast! 

Details:  Paper - BamPop! Vol. 2 Collection, Cosmo Cricket as found in the Torendi "Joy" kit; Colorbok heart; Dymo labels. 

And speaking of love, have you heard??!!  Sketchy Thursdays has gone Facebook on ya!!  In just 4 days we have over 250 fans!!!!!!!!!!!!   I'm blown away!  We'll be posting more of our fave layouts throughout the week for all to enjoy and doing extra giveaways over there.  Sheesh!  We just can't stop showering our followers/fans with goodies, huh?!!  Not a bad thing at all.

And finally...HAVE YOU HEARD??!!!!!!!  Sketchy Thursdays is having our next Design Team Call!!!!!  I so can't believe it's been 6 months already since Diana and I were picking our inaugural DT and wondering if we'd get a few followers.  Now we're up to 540 followers and Amanda, Tessa, and Jennifer have been a DREAM DT.  We'll be sad to see them off.  But I'm so excited also to see what amazingness we'll uncover with the call.  Interested in joining our team?  The call will run until 3/15.  Click on the link above for all the details. 

Are you like me?  Any slight bump in your routine and it takes ages to recover and get back into the swing of things.  I'm just soooo not feeling the mojo right now.  4 days off scrappin and I'm not ready to dive back in yet.  I think I'll just veg a little while longer tonight and jump back in it tomorrow.  There are quite a few new (new to me) challenges I'd love to start working into my routine.  The wheels are turning on how to incorporate one into my ST layout for this week...stay tuned.

Off to bed!

Heidi

Easter Egg Smackdown!

Sheesh, the glitter has hardly been brushed away, cupid is just retiring for another year, and there are probably a FEW chocolates still left but here I am jumping into Easter!!! 

March 2011 issue

I made this adorable layout for this week's fresh and happy SPCC color combo:

I've had this picture propped up in front of my crafty workspace for a while now just waiting for the perfect prompt.  It's just so funny!  Only my kids could take Easter Egg dyeing to the hood!! 

The style of my layout (the ribbon rainbow) is inspired by this layout done for this week's Sketchy Thursdays submission by our Guest Design Member Sandra.  I am so impressed with Sandra's style.  It's so gorgeous!!!  Wait til you see what she made for ST for next week!!! 

This type of layout is perfect for me because I own waaaaaaaaaaaaaay more ribbon and fibers than any sane person should.  And I keep adding to my collection!!!!  I can't help myself.  I do have to say, though, that I had a hard time coming up with a decent amount of bright yellow offerings. 

I LOVE the way the stitching came out on this.  I've had this "loopiness" happen before on the backstitch and have often tried to imitate it but can't seem to figure out what set of circumstances initiate it.  It can't be the type of thread because most of my thread is the same type.  But in any event, I ~heart~ the way this looks. 

I just found this alpha stamp set in my foam stamps stash.  No idea why it was in there and I'm bummed I've lost all that time I could've been using it.  It's (can you say it with me?) awesome!!!! 

Be sure to check out what the rest of the SPCC Divas made for your inspiration this week and play along with us!

Have a happy Monday!

Heidi

I Love Yushi!

I'm currently "up north" ~ahem~ enjoying the snow but I thought I'd schedule a post for you anyway.  I made this card a couple weeks ago for my husband for his birthday but I thought it was a fun little one for Valentine's Day.

January 2011 issue

The stamp actually said "sushi" but i only inked up the "ushi" part and then only inked up the "h" and turned it upside down for a "y". 

My husband isn't into the really frilly, sappy cards so this clean and simple one is right up his alley. 

January 2011 issue

This shot shows just how glossy and dimensional the sushi and heart are.  I covered them with a glossy medium. 

Used my fave Martha Stewart microbeads for the rice.  Too stinkin cute!!

Hope you are having a wonderful Valentine's Day! 

- Heidi

Details:  Maya Road stamps; Ink - StazOn, Stampin' Up!; Stampin' Up! cardstock; Martha Stewart microbeads; JudiKins glossy medium.

It's a Sketchy Kind of Thursday

Not only do I have our weekly Sketchy Thursdays sketch for you today but I also have a Design Dollies sketch, too!!!

Let's begin with a little Sketchy Thursdays action:

Lovin the multi-picture option!!! 

March 2011 issue

Everything but the pearls are from the Pink Ninja Addicts kit "Three Little Birds".  (There's actually a set of the same pearls/rhinestones in the kit of a different color...I was just in a blue mood.) 

I'm pretty proud of my pearl circle - I eyeballed it!!!  There's only one pearl that looks out of line to me.  ~jazz hands!~  Notice the rhinestone masquerading as an asterisk next to the title?  It's to alert you to the subtitle which is:

Every time I look over our "official" family pics* the one aspect that jumps out at me is my husband's beard, or goatee, or soul patch, or stubble...Seeing it every day I never realize how often he changes the "configuration".  I guess it's his answer to drastic new hairstyles or colors.   (Can you tell what I used to make the journaling block?  "B"s!!!!) 

* We've tried every year around the same time (c. the end of September) to take the same picture of our family as we took on our first day as a family, with my husband actually just holding the camera at arms' length.  You'll also notice that HE is wearing the same t-shirt in every pic.  Unfortunately we haven't yet taken our 2009 pic so I substituted another pic of the whole fam from October. 

Don't you just love that sparkly blue glitter cardstock?  It's in the Addicts kit.  It's American Crafts and it's THICK stuff.  Like too thick to punch, as I found out the hard way.  :o(  It's also really hard to see but the pics on the blue glitter c/s are also mounted on ponchello - it's a rad irridescent mesh. 

You have until next Wednesday 2/17 to play along with us.  Leave a direct link to your project on Mr. Linky in the Sketchy Thursdays sidebar for your chance to win a fabulous prize from MagPie Club.  (OK, can I quit ST now so I can try to win this??!!  Soooooooo yummy!  ~drool~)

Details:  Patterned paper, glitter cardstock, chipboard letters & shapes, ponchello - Pink Ninja Addicts Three Little Birds kit; Prima pearls. 

I was so lucky this week to have 2 FABULOUS sketches to work with .  This next one is by Miss Kristy from the Design Dollies (also the one and the same Miss Kristy from Some Odd Girl!  This chick has some mad skillz!):

Kristy's sketches are always so playful so I had to go with some super playful new paper from BamPop! which you can find in the Torendi store.  Be sure to check out all the new BamPop! in the Torendi store AND keep an eye out for all the new CHA finds arriving soon.  I can't wait!!!

Published in Scrapbook News and Review September 2010

Had a bit of neon photo editing fun on Picnik!!  My daughter is rawkin her Tinker Toy guitar in this pic so rainbow neon repetition seemed appropriate. 

I also happen to have several stamped BamPop! astro birdie images on hand thanks to Ms. L'Orange which were the perfect complement to this layout!!  Thanks chick!! 

My Little Janis.  Just as long as her penchant for nursing the apple juice isn't foreshadowing fifths of Jack, I love that she enjoys rocking out and encourage it wholeheartedly!!!  She's quite the little performer.   She's either going to be a rocker, actress, comedian, or WWE vixen, I just know it!  (Obviously some pursuits more desirable than others, LOL!) 

I just noticed that you can't tell the notebook paper edge is really punched.  I backed the layout on a black board to take the pics and now see that it detracts from the 3D, touchy-feely perspective. 

You have until next Wednesday to play along with us on the Design Dollies, too.  There's, of course, an amazing prize pack up for grabs.  Those Dollies are so generous!!!

Details:  Paper - BamPop! Vol. 2 collection, Torendi store; Trim - Michaels, Joanns; Target $1 section flair; Dymo; BamPop! stamps; Tsukineko ink; staples. 

Well, I'm off to snowier climes this weekend so I may not be around much.  I'll try to schedule a post or 2 to keep you company.  Yes, yes, I know...some of you are buried under feet of snow and here I am driving hours for it.  It's a once-a-year treat for us and the kids are so looking forward to it. 

Have a great weekend!!

Heidi

Handmade Ninja

Woohoo!!!  It's Pink Ninja Wednesday!!!!!!!!!!!

The new prompt is "handmade", technique is to use cardboard, and the pink twist is lace. 

I have to admit I was flummoxed by the "handmade" prompt.  I dont' really make anything what I'd term "handmade" other than papercrafts.  I don't sew or knit or anything like that.  As Mo so nicely put it, I just wasn't getting my mojo green light.  And then ~chorus of angels, bright glowing light, bluebirds soaring~ the Sunday Target ad arrived and my mojo was greenlighted!  They had an adorable piece of "art" on sale that inspired this layout:

I obviously didn't focus on something handmade but I featured something "handmade".  The heart is "faux handmade paper".  I've used this technique before on another Pink Ninjas prompt way back when.  You use paint and toilet paper to get that fiber-y handmade paper look:

~title detail~
I have to say I absolutely LOVE painting on cardboard!  It's become my favorite base.  And I've been hoarding pieces for a while now and have some great "interesting" pieces.  This one, for instance, has several holes in it which I love.

Hop on over to the Pink Ninjas blog to check out what the other Ninjas made for your "handmade" inspiration.  It's a regular craft fair over there!!!  Have I mentioned how honored I feel to be included in this amazing bunch of artists??  These chicks are off the hook!

Hope you have a happy hump day!

Heidi

Rockin With Some Odd Girl

Today over on Sketchy Thursdays we're doing a Second Chance Challenge with Some Odd Girl, a new digi stamp shop online!  I especially ~heart~ this store because my girl Kristy from Design Dollies is the owner AND designer of all the adorable and rockin digi stamps!!!!



So I tried my hand AGAIN at doing the sketch...this time I went with a layout sketch and it's a bit "industrial-grunge" I'd say. 

However, as you know, I'm all for interpretation of my sketches and there's a good amount of "interpretation" happening over on the ST blog with the samples.  And we have LOTS of yummy samples this time because many of the Design Dollies played along with us.  You'll notice that all the samples also feature digi stamps from Some Odd Girl.  Aren't they all awesome??!!

I used the Some Odd Girl "Rockin Kody" stamp.  Unfortunately I suck at coloring so I chose to print him on colored and patterned papers instead. 

Both patterned papers, the spangley trim, and the AWESOME fimo lightening bolt are from this month's Pink Ninja Addicts kit "Mommy's Little Monster". 

I'm tellin ya, you need to go check the addicts out!!!  Gorgeous samples for this kit up on the blog by Silje.  That girl has TALENT!!

The Sketchy Thursdays Some Odd Girl Second Chance Challenge will run through Friday 2/12 at 11:59pm EST.  Up for grabs are THREE digi stamps of your choice from Some Odd Girl!!!!!  Hope to see you playing along!!

Have a great weekend!!

Heidi

Details:  Some Odd Girl digi stamp; Pink Ninja Addicts patterned papers, trim, fimo shape; Dymo; Making Memories paint; Maya & Glimmer Mists; Bazzill chipboard squares; Stampin' Up! cardstock & ink; thread.