Life is Good

This is a bittersweet post for me.  I've got two Precocious Paper projects to share which I LOVE but sadly, these are my last PP projects as a member of her DT.  I'm so bummed to be saying goodbye to my DT term.  :o(  It has been an honor and great fun!!!  I will definitley continue to include PP products on my projects, of course, as they're definitely some of my favorite flowers out there!

Supplies Cardstock: Stampin' Up!; Patterned Paper: 7Gypsies, My Minds Eye; Brads: My Minds Eye; Chipboard: Colorbok; Flowers: Precocious Paper; Sticker: SRM Stickers; Pen: Zig

I absolutely love the Precocious Paper Rolled Fabric Flowers.  They come in two sizes and are just so elegant.  Here I topped a trio of smaller ones with some pretty patterned brads. 

Something I discovered about the ivory rolled fabric flowers (which I'm sure also goes for the white and any of the lighter colored ones) is they accept glitter mist beautifully!

I wasn't sure it was going to work...I trepidatiously sprayed this one thinking if I screwed it up I was going to be seriously bummed since I only had 2 to work with.  I thought maybe, since the fabric was so shimmery and slick-looking that the mist might just bead up on it or unevenly soak in.  Very happily the fabric accepted the mist perfectly. 

When I set out to make this next piece I dove into it with just this gorgeous misted flower and a poem composed by my 5-year-old daughter for inspiration.  Let me tell you, those were some amazing inspiration as I am so proud of this piece.

Supplies Flower: Precocious Paper; Ribbon: Michaels; Tape: Advantus; Stamp: Delish Designs; Ink: Ranger Industries, Tsukineko; Paint: Delta, Making Memories, Plaid; Glitter Glue: Ranger Industries; Ink Mist: Maya Road, Tattered Angels, Tsukineko; Pen: Sharpie; Charcoal Pencil: General's; Oil Pastels: Pentel; Tool: Stampin' Up!; Poem: "The Flower Grows and Grows" by Kinsey Myers; Other: chipboard, drywall tape, staples

The thing I think I'm most impressed with myself on this is that the mix of paints I used on her eyes is almost exactly the color of my daughter's eyes!  I call her "Rootbeer Eyes" because their color reminds me of a backlit rootbeer barrel candy. 

It's so hard to photograph anything shimmery.  This picture doesn't do the flower or the metallic, shimmery copper color in her hair or eyes justice. 
So, one day last month on the way to school my daughter recited a poem for me.  I asked if she'd learned it in school.  She said no, she'd just made it up.  And then she kept reciting it over and over.  She even said it for her class.  Of course, I had to write it down and I've been planning to commemorate it on a layout ever since.  Today, instead, a painting seemed more in order.

The poem begins in the middle of the flower, sprials out of it and down the stem with the "composed by" and the date sprialling through the leaf. 

I put in a seed

It started to grow

It grew a flower

On top of its nose

It started to smile

Full of glee

Happily

Isn't that adorable??!!!!!   My budding poet!  I love the way every line didn't have to have the same number of syllables. 

To finish off the page I attempted to make an interpretive sun out of spiraled misted Tim Holtz tissue tape and clouds of drywall tape. 

The butterfly is cut out of some spring-themed ribbon. 

I hope you enjoy this as much as I loved making it.  I don't paint often and don't consider myself a painter by any stretch of the imagination but I really had a great time doing this piece.  I guess I just need awesome inspiration first.  Now I've just got to find a frame for it and it's going to go live in my daughter's room. 

Be sure to check out the Precocious Paper blog for lots more yummy, flowery inspiration from her talented DT.   I can't wait to see who will be on the next team.

Hopefully you guys are cooler than we are this week.  It got up to 91 yesterday.  (Not sure what today was but it felt even worse.)  If it were May, or even April, I would've given in and clicked on that A/C so fast but there's something about it being only March that I refuse to on principle.  Even for here that's 15 degrees warmer than normal.  It's supposed to go back to the "normal" range next week.  I'll believe it when I feel it. 

♥Heidi

Mine! Mine! Mine!

The newest Pink Ninjas prompt is "Selfish". 

As you may know, I've been having a great time over the last month or so taking a couple paint technique classes (Big Picture Scrapbooking @ Home with Claudine Hellmuth & a class at my LSS with Bethany Kartchner).  I'm nearing the end of my trusty sketch book and thought how fun to make another using paint and this prompt since the sketch book is just creative ideas for me. 

I LOVE the way this came out.  It's so touchable, too.  Lots of texture within the paint.

Can you see the relief?  I just want to run my fingers over it.

I decided to call this my "Junque Journal".  I was inspired by the one Bethany Kartchner made.

Even the title is all touchy-feely with Tim Holtz distressed Stickles.

I had to include a paint transfer.  I am so in love with this technique.  It's so cool to take any image and make it part of the paint. 

And here it is, in its entirety.  Can you see the two masks I used, too, sprayed with mist?  There's a giant old-fashioned looking clock near the title and stars at the top.

This journal is made out of one of those black and white composition books.  Can't beat that with all the back-to-school sales right now!  I think it was 50 cents.  I bought a bunch.

I plan to fill this baby with sketches, prompts, colors, clippings, and varied ephemera I want to incorporate into my projects.

Check out what the rest of the Pink Ninjas made for the "Selfish" prompt.  We all had a great time playing. 

Why don't you show us how you're selfish?

Ingredients:  Making Memories paint; Maya & Glimmer Mist; Tim Holtz & Crafter's Workshop masks; Heidi Swapp chipboard alpha; Cosmo Cricket Tiny Alpha; 7Gypsies stamp; Tim Holtz Distressed Stickles; Dymo labeler; Target $1 Spot flair; Michaels ribbon; nest image from Claudine Hellmuth; Elmer's glue; gesso; composition book.

Poe & Sunshine

Is it already August??!!!  Didn't we just start this year?  I always look at my son's birthday as the official start to the holiday season because it's non-stop birthdays, vacations, and holidays from there until January.  His birthday is just a little over a month away!  Aaaaaagh!!!!!!

OK, I'm a little slow on these two layouts.  Both went live yesterday, 8/1. 

The current Scrap That Poetry poem is "Annabel Lee" by Edgar Allen Poe.  Such a beautiful poem of love.  My mom requested I create something special for my step-brother and his wife and this is what I came up with, using a picture from their wedding:

The frame is a crochet hoop.  I got the idea for this from the Big Picture Scrapbooking Claudine Hellmuth class I'm taking.  The coolest part...the background fabric...

It began life as some Prima patterned paper!!!!!  I transferred it to some of Claudine Hellmuth's sticky back canvas!!!!

As you can see, it lost a little brightness of color but still!!!  It's so cool, right?  I have so many more ideas for this technique!!!!

If you're familiar with the poem "Annabel Lee" you know it's quite a long one so I only extracted one part for this hanging.  And I took a little bit of creative license with it and changed it slightly.  The original line was, "Can ever dissever my soul from the soul, Of the beautiful Annabel Lee."  Well, of course neither of my subject's names were Annabel Lee (how incovenient, lol!) so I changed it to, "Can ever dissever my soul from thee."  Hey, it rhymes, right?  Hope Mr. Poe doesn't cringe!

I filled in the bookplate with a crackle medium to further the antique-iness of the piece.

Actually, truth be told I futzed with a couple things on this piece.  I cut and pasted the Prima pearl flourish to fit within the circle. And although I had the Jenni Bowlin cardstock butterflies on hand, I liked the pattern on the Prima packaging better for this piece so I traced the Jenni Bowlin butterfly and added my own pearls. 

One other thing I did on this piece that you can't see on the pictures is I painted on their pictures with acrylic paint.  I painted their cheeks, lips, and hair.  I also painted all her jewelry with pearlized paint. 

Being the first of the month,  I also have a Category Stories layout for you, too.  This month's prompt is "_________ is my sunshine."

I incorporated techniques from both the Claudine Hellmuth class AND a class I took last weekend at my LSS with Bethany Kartchner into this.  (BTW, I am so stinkin proud of the mini book I made in Bethany's class and will be sharing that just as soon as I get it filled with some pictures - which will hopefully be asap.)  I am star-struck at having met and played along with Bethany in person.  This woman is ooooooooozing creativity.  I've already signed up for her next class at my LSS which is an art journaling class (with my other amazingly creative friend, Julie, who imparted that she's a bit trepidatious about art journaling but I know she'll make something completely fabulous!).  If you happen to be in the Mesa, AZ area on 8/28, sign up for this class!  It's going to be so much messy fun!  Oh, you should've seen me in the class last week.  I was COVERED with paint...ask Julie.  I am NOT prissy when it comes to paint.  I think it's usually much easier applied by hand. 

First, the picture of my little rays of sunshine is a packing tape transfer (which is indirectly a techinique I learned from Claudine Hellmuth...I already knew the basics of the technique but refined it with her tips). 

~picture detail~
Bethany's class was all about getting messy with paint, mists, and oil pastels and I incorporated all three here!  The sun rays are misted and then accented with oil pastels. 

The sky is a faux woodgrain paint technique that gives a great streaky effect.  I also misted a bit in the sky, too, and topped it off with some painted clouds using a Heidi Swapp mask (which, truthfully, I wish I hadn't done but oh, well). 

The butterfly and alpha silhouettes are created with Heidi Swapp masks and oil pastels. 

~title detail~


Finally, I used an actual Jenni Bowlin butterfly this time, but sprayed it wish mist (thanks Diana for that idea!) and topped it with some Ranger Perfect Pearls (Claudine, again!). 

~butterfly detail~


I really hope you like my project and PLEASE come play along with us!!!  Just click on the links for each above!

I'm off to my craft room.  I'm in a creatin' mood now!

Heidi

Scrap That Poetry GDT, Sketchy Thursdays, & Who's That Girl!!!!!!!

** warning ** warning ** warning** this is a loooooong post with lots of yummy pics!

For some reason it seems like everything cool happening in my scrappy world is happening on Thursdays this month.  (OK, except for my Pink Ninja shtuff...they get Wednesdays all to themselves this month!)  Today is no exception.  I've got 2 layouts for 3 awesome challenges to share with you today.

I was stunned when I won challenge #12 over on Scrap That Poetry for THIS layout.  Seriously, I even checked out their site to find out what the poem was for challenge #13 and didn't even bother to scroll down to the winner post.  I found out I won from a random comment on my flikr account!!!!  LOL.  The most exciting part is that I get to be the Guest DT for challenge #14!!!!!! 

The poem is April by John Greenleaf Whittier.  Click HERE to see the whole poem.   Upon first read, I was worried.  Much of the poem seems to speak of the ushering out of a snowy winter.  I'm from Gilbert, Arizona!!!!  We don't have snow!!!  Our trees and flowers are confused from November to April with several false spring starts since we regularly get 70+ degree weather at any point during that time. 

But then I was able to pick out a few lines that made me think of the most adorable fairy costume my daughter wore for her first Halloween and birthday party. 

I love this costume so much it hangs on her wall in her bedroom now!!! 

The base of the layout is the shaped paper...the white background is the board upon which I photographed it. 

So, I loved my sketch so much that I made for the current Sketchy Thursdays blog hop (in which Scrap That Poetry is also a participant!) that I just had to make another layout with it!!

Incidentally, you have until Sunday night to play along with the hop and this sketch HERE.

The lines I extracted from the poem are:

I used mists on quite a few items to echo the shimmer and iridescence of the fairy dress.

The two doilies are misted with green, blue, and pink mists.  The flower has pearl mist on it.

The wings were cut out of white glitter paper that I sprayed with mists, too.  Incidentally, I made the wings by tracing the acrylic Maya Road wings I got in my Ninja Addicts' "Carrousel" kit. 

Please stop by Scrap That Poetry, take a look at what their Design Team made, and play along with us!!!! 

And, as if that wasn't enough, I also have - of course! - my weekly Sketchy Thursdays layout!!!!  And to make it just that much more fun, we teamed up with Who's That Girl for the fun prompt "Right Now".   (Anyone else now have the Van Haggar song running through their brain??  It's been coursing through mine for days.  Ugh!!) 

Does Diana ever disappoint??  Her sketches are perfect. 

October/November 2010 issue

The idea of the prompt was to document 5 (or more) things that provide a little glimpse into who you are right now.  (Dammit, there's that song again!!)  I went with 5 of my current simple pleasures. 

Have I mentioned  I ~heart~ picnik.com?  So easy to make a cool collage. 

McLovin my new iPod! (Yes, I just got one...the Hubs surprised me out of the blue with it one day.)

GREEN!!!!  My fave color since forever...just ask my mom!  Already stuffed it full of over 1000 songs and have many more on my wishlist.  And how cool are playlists??!!  (Yes, I'm like a little kid with this.)

I couldn't pick just one fave scrappy challenge site because I have TWO (Sketchy Thursdays and Pink Ninjas) so they are sharing one spot on my list of 5. 

Dancing With the Stars - the only show I religiously watch the same day it is recorded.  It's addictive!

I drink coffee at every hour of the day or night.  Raw sugar and fat free 1/2 & 1/2, thank you very much.  (Shush, Diana!!)  This is my fave mug.  It's just the right shape, the perfect weight.  Unfortunately, it's a little worse for the wear having sustained a fall and chipping once or twice. 

And by now you probably know of my obsession with Harry Potter.  When I took this pic yesterday I was in the midst of reading book #5 for the fourth time.  (I've since graduated to book #6.)  You can see from the pic how well loved this poor book is.  It's literally held together with clear packing tape. 

I was hoping to one day pass along my love for Harry to my kids to read but I don't think this particular edition will make it.  I'm sure I'll have to purchase another soon...I'm hoping the boy hits this reading level in the next couple years. 

Here's more of that scrumptious glitter paper, this time in black and fashioned after a Prima lollipop flower.  I gotta get back to Target to see if they've gotten any more of the black and white Colorbok glitter papers in.  Two sheets for 99 cents!  Can't beat that with a stick.  The red flowers are made with mini treat (cupcake) liners and Prima flower centers. 

** updated **  I totally forgot to mention that cheetah print paper...it's FLOCKED!!!!  Mmmmmmmmmm...

Join us over on Sketchy Thursdays to check out what the DT made for your inspiration with our awesome sketch and the Who's That Girl prompt.  You have until next Wednesday 4/21 to play along for your chance to win Apron Strings' "Bigger Than a Breadbox" April kit!! 

Happy Thursday!!

Heidi

Happy Birthday To Me!

Yep.  Today is my birthday.  Forgive me if I don't sound too excited...it's a big number.  I don't like it.  I feel much, much younger, which I suppose is a good thing.  :oD 

(pic courtesy of supercutekawaii.com)

I was so inspired by this amazing layout by Tessa HERE that I made this birthday layout for myself:

(Man, that's a bad picture!   I'll try to take a better one later today in better light!)

I used this week's Design Dollies sketch and also w i d e l y interpreted their elements challenge "showers & flowers" (the layout is "showered" with tons of mist, lol!). 

I also had the Who's That Girl "Distinguishing Feature" challenge in mind when I made this.  I have been told as long as I can remember that I don't look "that old" whatever the age happened to be.  I was, no joke, still frequently carded until I was 37.  (And then, for some reason, it shut off abruptly like a switch...I blame the crazy kids. Bitter? Me?  Nooooooo...) 

And, if you read the journaling you may have a sudden urge to kick off your Sunday shoes and cut footloose.  I've used a line from the song Footloose which is the challenge song over on Scrapping the Music. 

Of course, I must send a shout out and wave a big hello to my girl Diana for the gorgeous flower!  You can find similar ones in her etsy store!!!!

Off for a fun day with the kids...the boy's basketball game and then to his school carnival!!!

Heidi

Details:  Glimmer & Maya Mists; Design by Diana paper flower; The Paper Company paper; Zig Millennium pen; unknown ribbons; clothing tag; thread. 

R U Labeled?

Today's Pink Ninjas challenge is brought to you by the fabulous Miss Em!  Be sure to check out her Ninja Star interview!!  She's so much fun!! 

Prompt:  Labels
Technique:  Recycle some packaging
Pink Twist: Ribbon

Prompt: Labels...check!  Broke out the Dymo labeler (on the cassette) and my title itself.

~title detail~
Technique:  Recycle some packaging...check!  The whole project is made upon the sturdy cardboard sheet included with every Ninja Addicts' kit.  And that adorable dress form is cut out from some Barbie doll packaging.  Not sure if you'd consider the cassette tape recycled "packaging"...

Twist: ribbon...check!

~collage detail~
The background paper and the adorable little Kawaii cassette tape stamp are from this month's Torendi kit "Framed Cuteness". 

The paper is Mod Podged to the background.  I also used Mod Podge to shape and attach the tape from the cassette.  Make sure you check out the Torendi blog this Friday for your chance to win a cool Mod Podge sample pack from Mod Podge Rocks!  (And check out Mod Podge Rocks daily for super cool inspiration.)

Be sure to check out what the rest of the Ninjas made for your inspiration.  I swear every challenge I am blown away by the raw talent on this DT.  I am so honored to be included among this group.  In the immortal words of Wayne & Garth, "(I am) not worthy!" 

Have a great Wednesday!!!!

Heidi

Details:  Torendi "Framed Cuteness" kit paper & stamp; Making Memories paint; Glimmer Mist; Heidi Swapp alpha masks; Prima flower center; Deluxe Designs frame; Sharpie pen; Mod Podge matte; Michaels ribbon; Dymo labeler; cardboard, cassette tape, Barbie packaging. 

If I Could Bottle This I Would

Today we have a very happy, cheery color combo over on the Design Dollies to perk up your Monday:  black, white, and yellow.  Be sure to check out what the Design Team made for your inspiration. 

The flowers are fingerpainted and then stitched.  I love this self-portrait, the camera held at arm's length.  So funny! 

~closeup detail~


I used my Sketchy Thursdays April Guest Design Team sketch and even the prompt.  I did mist and paint, athough not pink as directed. 

The April GDT Challenge is closed but you can still hop on over to cast your vote for your favorite. 

Have a great Monday!

Heidi

Details:   Studio Calico stamp (coffee ring); Autumn Leaves Stampology ink; Making Memories paint; Maya & Glimmer Mists; Zig Millennium pen; DCWV cardstock; thread.

Happy Saturday

Made a few cards recently.  A few with the new Lawn Fawn Stamps.  OMG.  These stamps are fabulous.  They stamp so crisp!!!!  I'll share these cards over the next few days or so.

Oct/Nov 2010 issue - Lawn Fawn stamps review

The dictionary page and fairy card are from the lovely Diana's etsy shop Design By Diana.   

I misted the dress form stamp with both a green and a pink.  I love how it came out.  The image is stamped on a file folder so it accepted the mist well without warping.  I just discovered the Autumn Leaves Stampology ink made for clear stamps and I have to say it works very nicely.  I'd been having problems with inconsistent saturation of color when using both StazOn and Stampin' Up! ink on clear stamps. 

Details:  Sew Lovely stamp by Lawn Fawn Stamps, Autumn Leaves Stampology ink, ephemera from Design By Diana etsy shop, Cosmo Cricket tiny alpha, Prima pearl, Maya & Glimmer Mists, Stampin' Up! cardstock, file folder, thread, unknown velvet ribbon.

And since it's Saturday and Saturdays are for most people happy, feel-good days, I'm going to acknowledge two blog awards I received just recently.  Amazingly they both came in on the same day!  Talk about a feel-good day!  I'm so honored to have touched and been touched by these two amazing women:

Kandi from Krafty Kandi Krafts gave me the Beautiful Blogger Award. 

And can you believe, THIS is what she said:  "...I have scrappers envy when it comes to Heidi's awesome scrapbook pages. She does things I'd never dare to do, let alone even think of! She is sassy and spunky and it totally shows on her pages. If I could aspire to be a better scrapbooker I would start with trying to scraplift some of her totally rad pages."

I am BLOWN AWAY by this.  Humbled.  WOW.  Kandi just validated every creative thing I've ever dared to share.  Thank you SO MUCH Kandi. 

OK, for this award, I'm supposed to share 10 things you may not know about me and then pass this along to 10 bloggers who have inspired me.  Well, I've got a room full of cleaning and organizing to get to today so I'm going to leave this little bit until later, maybe tomorrow.  ;oD

As mentioned, on the SAME day (wow!), the beautiful Miss Ally left me the Sunshine Award.  Poor Miss Ally.  I stalk her.  She has just the sweetest spirit, makes the most rad stuff, and has the most beautiful (and photogenic) family, including their newest addition the Hankster, who is just so sweet you want to eat him up!   Again, I'll pass along the award later when I'm more organized.  (OK, I'll do it later...You know it.  I know it.  I'm never going to be more organized!) 

Moving right along...a little more business to attend to. 

Today is the last day to submit an entry for the Sketchy Thursdays April Guest Design Team Member!  And wouldn't you know it, the winner will get the  Ninja Addicts' Three Little Birds kit designed by both the beautiful Miss Ally and one of Sketchy's newest Design Team Members the amazing Miss Nely!!!!!

Also, today is Jenn's birthday so she's offering a 30% discount on all order at the Torendi shop over $30 for her big 3-oh!  Hop on over and check it out.   (And don't forget to leave her some birthday love!)

(source)

Oh, I'm soooo using this image for my bday in a couple weeks, LOL!

OK, I think that's it for today.  Whew!

Hope your Saturday is shaping up as lovely as mine. 

Heidi

Remember This Love

Wow, it seemed like we were on holiday from Sketchy Thursdays for a long time and now it seems like we just posted the last sketch.  Looks like 2010 is going to fly by just as quickly as 2009.  ~sigh~

I'm going to venture a guess that this is going to become another fave for me. 

Remember a couple months back I made a layout and noted that I loved the way the stitching looked on the back side of it and intended to use it to make another layout?

Well, here it is:

October/November 2010 issue

When Kins was a baby I thought she looked so much like Kee that I'd be hard pressed to tell them apart in pictures.  But as they grew I began to think they didn't really look so much alike anymore.  Until this picture about a month ago.  They look so much the same to me!  The same squinty-eyed smile.  And, can you believe this was actually a, "Hey, mom needs a pic to show people she hasn't seen in a while what you guys look like.  Can you pose for me?" picture??  No cheesey smiles, no sulking, no looking away.  OK, so sometimes they come through for me.  LOL.

I love the way the fussy cut butterfly and flower actually look like they're stamped atop the pic.  And I also cut out the butterfly that would've gotten covered by the picture and posed it on top.  The trims are a score! from Joann's & the LSS today.  It's some hot pink fringed trim with some black dingle ball trim on top.  Very cool. 

I love the way the bird came out.  It's made out of that pressed wood - what's that called? - onto which I rubbed some black chalk ink and then sprayed with the most GORGEOUS hot pink Glimmer Mist.  I tried to capture the mist in this pic but it's not really coming through.  You're just going to have to trust me on this.  I finished it off with some flourish stamps with white chalk ink. 

So, I had already glued down the bird when I decided I wanted him to be holding the lock and key in his mouth.  I guess I could've just stuck the bow on top but I really wanted to be able to tie the bow.  So mama broke out the power tools!  Drilled a hole right through bird's beak out the back of the layout!   Tool Time in the Scrap Room!  Rrrrr rrrrrr rrrrrr!  (Can't you just hear Tim the Tool Man Taylor grunting??) 

And yes, the original layout on the back didn't survive.  I knew it'd come to that as soon as I placed the picture and decided I needed to cut out the butterfly and flower.  So I salvaged what pieces I could use for future layouts and never looked back.  I know some of you are reeling in horror but truthfully, I knew the day I made that first layout that I wasn't a fan of it and this would be its fate someday. 

One more look at the underside stitching - isn't it so cool??

I love the way it's all loopy.

Head on over to the Sketchy Thursdays blog to check out what the Design Team made for your inspiration.  Some of my fave layouts made so far on this team!  And we've got the debut of our January Guest Design Team member, Sarah, too.

Hook your creation up to Mr. Linky in the Sketchy Thursdays sidebar by 11:59pm EST Wednesday 1/13 for your chance to win not one but TWO kits from Keep In Touch! 

Super Fun Kit

Passion For Red Kit

Aaaand, in case that just isn't enough for you, Kelly from Keep In Touch is offering up a discount in the shop for all Sketchy Thursdays customers this week!  Hit this week's post for more info.

Hope your 2010 is going well.  I'm slowly but surely easing my way back into the routines and getting back on top of creating again. 

- Heidi

Details:  Glitz Design paper; Ink - ColorBox, VersaMagic; Autumn Leaves stamps; Glimmer Mist; Wrights pink trim; DMC floss; thread; unknown: wood bird, black trim, metal lock & key.