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Monday, September 29, 2014

Digi Me Contest

Wow SOG does it again and I'm extra excited to tell you guys about an awesome new contest going on over at the Some Odd Girl  blog called Digi Me. To sum it up, we fans have been requesting different theme ideas for the ladies over at SOG to turn into stamps. The contest gives us a chance to present our ideas in the form of collages and photos! I'm just bursting with ideas and I've never made a collage before (other than school projects) so I could't wait to participate. I've had the idea of SOG's Kaylee dressed in pink boxing gloves and a pink robe adorned with the breast cancer pink ribbon and that famous sassy short hair cut Kaylee has been known to rock and pink highlights so this collage came together with almost no effort





I wonder if we're supposed to name them as well, hmm "Fighter Kaylee" comes to mind! Anyway, I'm absolutely obsessed with the idea and have been since the first time I came across the breast cancer themed icon with the quote "Fight Like A Girl". Couldn't you guys just imagine the awesomeness?! I had so much fun generating this collage that I started on 2 more, BUT you'll have to tune in again to see the others! More to come tomorrow so see you then!

-Krys

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Mad about Mae

Hi guys. Do you ever get the feeling sometimes that you should just give up on something because no matter how hard you try or how much effort you put into something, it never seems to pay off? I get like that from time to time but I remind myself that Rome wasn't built in a day. See I've been making cards and blogging for about 2 years now and I've yet to make a design team that I put in for, which is what made me start my blog in the first place. I wanted to have a place to post my cards and hopefully inspire others along the way to share their creativity as well. I enter challenge after challenge, make my interests known, and apply as often as I can, I never seem to get any closer to realizing my dream. It seems like all the DT calls are looking for someone with prior DT experience, but if nobody will give you a chance on their DT, how can you hope to gain experience? On days like that it can be hard to pick up my markers and get my crafty mojo flowing, so I rest and try to remember the other things that make me craft. I also try to make something non challenge related, a card for a friend, a decoration for my home, or try out a new technique just for fun. It always makes me feel better and it makes me want to keep trying. I know I'm far from the most talented and most definitely not the only blogger out there with a dream of being a design team member for a favorite stamp company, so I try not to let it keep me down and most of all, I try not to keep me from crafting. Well that's my ramble for the day now on to my project. I absolutely adore the SOG company stamps, both clear and digital, and my collection has grown at a steady pace since I started it. Between you and me, I'm actually hoping for some happy mail this week! In the meantime, one of my newest digis in my newest favorite color combo, Geeky Mae!

SOG Geeky Mae


Not only do I love my SOG stamps, I'm crazy about cork embellishments, its my newest obsession. For some reason or another when I start to color Mae, I think of paper airplanes. So I thought to myself, wouldn't some paper airplanes made of cork be a cute embellishment. I took a copic multiliner and a ruler and drew out a few paper airplanes on some DCWV adhesive cork paper and cut them out with scissors, and put them to the side. For this card I wanted to make a pop up surprise card, where you pull a tab at the top and the image stands, causing it to reveal a surprise message. I've created on or two in the past, always using this tutorial from Splitcoast Stampers, slightly altering the measurements to be layered on a card base. The papers I used were from the DCWV Dots Stripes and Plaids mat stack and the lined graph paper at the top is from MME. I colored Geeky Mae up with my copics on Hammermill coverstock, fussy cut her out and adhered her with my ATG gun. The sentiments are from The Greeting Farm (can't remember what sets). Last I adhered the cute little cork embellishments and called this card done. I'm headed over to link up to the September Linky Party over at Some Odd Girl and the Back To School Facebook challenge. Wish me luck on becoming a DT member one day and for now, join in the fun there's still time to link up this month so what are you waiting for?

-Krys

Monday, September 22, 2014

Pretty Adorkable

So, I am loving my SOG digis and my collection is really growing! Last week the ladies over at Some Odd Girl were kind enough to spotlight one of my cards and give me a free digi prize Who doesn't love prizes? I certainly do, and I absolutely couldn't wait to put my newest prize to good use, and since it seems like forever that I made a ceramic sign for my craft room I figured it would make a great project.

Geeky Mae Digi

Isn't she just adorable?! This week's Facebook challenge is back to school but instead of a typical back to school I was leaning more toward college dorm decor and came up with this. Doesn't she just look comfy, ready to lounge in her dorm room and study for an upcoming exam? I came up with the sentiment myself, generated on my computer and transferred onto the ceramic bisque. I gotta say I think it was the perfect sentiment to go with this cutie pie. I began by inking around the edges of the sign with some pigment ink. I colored Geeky Mae up on my Hammermill coverstock (love that stuff!) with my copic markers, fussy cut her out, and glued her down with some glossy accents. I finished it off with my favorite type of bling, pearl flourishes, a little diamond glaze on her glasses and a few paper airplanes I drew and glittered with my clear wink of stella brush pen. You never get too old for paper airplanes. I love this digi and she may very well be my favorite, I think we all have a little geek in us, especially when we think no one is looking ^.^ Now over to the SOG September Linky Party and then to the Back to School SOG Facebook challenge to join in on the fun, see ya later alligator!

-Krys

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Retro Sketch #132

Hi guys! Having a great week so far over here but my oh my does having a preschooler and Kindergartner keep you busy! I'm still adjusting to my new schedule so please bear with me until I can get the hang of this ^.^ My goodness I never realized just how much my daughters occupied each other until the oldest one started school. Now though, I believe my baby girl is attempting to drive me mad by asking me a never ending stream of questions (many of which she knows the answer to) throughout the day. She literally talks from the moment she wakes up till the moment she goes to sleep again! Nap time can't come soon enough but some days she doesn't even nap, LOL. All I can do is sit and laugh when I think about it because right now its driving me crazy, yet next year when she's in school and my house is quiet, the silence will drive me crazy and I'll be thinking of excuses to go and get them out of school early so they can be home with me again! Yesterday she decided that she needed a nap and so I got a little crafting done. It's been so long since I participated in any other challenge that I decided to join in this week's Retro Sketches #132 Challenge with a little SOG flair for the September Linky Party and the Trash Your Stash Facebook Challenge. Here's my take on the sketch

SOG Snowball Tia digi

I love the winter theme and this particular color combination was inspired by a very talented friend of mine, who recently knitted a scarf in these cool shades. I loved them so much I had to make a card using them! I didn't really have any wintery sentiments so I just used the Smile! sentiment from the SOG picture perfect clear set and I think it still looks sweet. The snowflake die is from sizzix and the pearls are from my stash. I colored up little Tia with my copic markers and added some stickles in the color eucalyptus fo add some dazzle to her outfit and sentiment. I used white chalk around the edges of the lighter blue paper in an attempt to make it appear to be frosted but you can't really see it in this photo. I added a glittery swirl with some silver stickles and a few pearls from my stash and this little lady was ready to join the party! Maybe today baby girl will take a nap and I can get a little something done again! Wish me luck guys!

-Krys

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Awesome Happy Mail

Don't you guys just love it when you're kind of down and need a pick me up, then SURPRISE! Something awesome and unexpected comes in the mail and perks you right up? Well that's exactly what happened to me Tuesday and it made me so happy I couldn't wait to share the feeling with someone else. I received my final stamp for the last Super Secret Stamp Club (missed out on sign ups this time around, no money *sigh*) and had to ink her up right away because, coupled with an adorable TGF sentiment, I knew she'd make someone's day! I decided to give this card to a friend of mine to send to her sister in law, with whom she's very close. So though this card isn't for any challenge, I know it will brighten someone's day

SSSC #9 Day Out


I mean who doesn't love to be told they're awesome at random? I certainly do, it makes me FEEL awesome that someone else thinks I'm awesome (other than the hubby and kiddos) and I hope this makes the recipient feel just as awesome! I colored this image using my copic markers of course! The paper I stamped on is actually new to me and it is AMAZING! My copics blend beautifully on this paper, very similar to the x-press it blending card. The best part, 250 sheets for $10! That's a much better bargain than what I was paying for the x-press it, which was around $17 for only 25 sheets! My only complaint is that the paper claims to be #60lb cardstock but doesn't feel like it, it feels closer to a heavy inkjet paper than a cardstock. That actually turned out to be more convenient though when I fussy cut the image out, my scissors glided through the paper like butter! I ordered it here, if you guys are interested. I'm more than satisfied with this product and unless Hammermill starts to make a heavier weight in this paper, I've found my newest staple product and won't be running out for a while! Happy trails guys!

-Krys

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Giddy Up

Howdy! Hope you guys are having a good day today, I love the cloudy overcast sky so I'm feeling extra bubbly, yes I'm an oddball. Cloudy skies put me in a great mood, especially when it's not too hot or cold like today. I guess because clouds mean rain, and rain means an excuse to stay indoors and spend the day crafting away (not that I actually need an excuse!). Lately I've been obsessed with my newest fold (I'm not even sure what it's called), but it looks so elegant even though its super simple, and it comes together so easily. And since I'm still missing my sweetheart, I have another lovey kinda card to share today using a SOG digi to link up for the September Linky Party over at Some Odd Girl, as well as the Trash Your Stash Facebook challenge

Some Odd Girl Cowgirl Mae

I colored up this cowgirl with my copics with a little wink of stella shimmer on her shirt and Judikins Diamond Glaze on her hat accent and belt buckle. You can't really see either in the photo but I feel it gives it just a little something extra! The papers are from my stash, bought from one of my LCS open stock. The cork embellishments were made by me cut from DCWV adhesive cork paper and stamped with one of the sentiments from The Greeting Farm's Your're Wanted 4x6 set. I finished off the look I was going for with some jute twine (LOVE that stuff!!!) and some pearl flourishes. This cowgirl is certainly ready to party at the September linky party, so I'm headed over to drop her off, it's going on all through September so I hope to see you guys there too!

-Krys

Monday, September 8, 2014

Love is in the Air

Happy Monday everybody, hope you all had a good weekend! Mine certainly flew by and before I knew it, it was time for my daughter to get dressed for school and my Hubster to leave for yet another FTX. I swear these people are trying to give me separation anxiety, taking my sweetheart away from me every other week for the past month and preparing for a month long one during Valentine's Day! Last year he was away for his birthday as well as Valentine's Day and we just got the news, it seems this year won't be any different *sigh* oh well. I mentioned back in February that I absolutely love V day, so I couldn't wait for the chance to use my SOG digi, Cupid Mae. Since I'm also overdue for a mixed media canvas, I simply couldn't resist using her on this heartfelt creation

Some Odd Girl Cupid Mae


Because I couldn't get the lighting quite right to show all the gold detail and rich color, I decided to post both pictures so you could see the shininess for yourselves! I love the notes of gold with the bold reds, its such a yummy color combo don't you think? I started out layering alcohol inks and dabbing them away until I was satisfied with the effect. I added a few torn book pages and sanded it all down for a distressed look. Next I stamped randomly with a few stamps from my stash, layering red with gold acrylic paint in some places. After that I took some red acrylic paint and splattered it onto the canvas. I also used a scrap of lace across the top to add some texture, along with a bit of jute twine. The dies that I used were all from memory box and the roses, from Iamroses.com, were dyed by me using the same colored alcohol inks I used to create the background. I finished my canvas off by adding a few pearls and a pearl flourish from my stash. Mae was colored on X-press it blending card with my copic markers. I used both stickles and a clear Wink of stella brush pen to add some sparkle to her. I think she's just perfect for my first entry for this month's Linky Party over at Some Odd Girl as well as a darling addition to the Trash Your Stash Oddies Facebook challenge. I'm headed over to link up for both, and if you haven't already, give it a try there's a chance to win every week! See you guys later and have a great day!

-Krys

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Its beginning to look a lot like...

Hello crafty pals, did you miss me? ^.^ I sure hope so, but not too much! I hope you guys had a great labor day weekend and maybe caught some good labor day sales, I know I sure did! This week has been super busy, as my little rugrat started school today. This week was spent mainly in preparation for her first day, making sure she had everything she needed. Today I put my little munchkin on the bus for the first time ever and I almost teared up, however, she didn't even look back! They really do grow up so fast. The only good that came out of her being away at school was that I got a little crafting done. Everyone keeps saying that it's supposed to start snowing earlier than last year, by the end of this month unfortunately, so like it or not I'm starting to get into the Christmas spirit. My first order of business, a card featuring an altered stamp from The Greeting Farm

Hat: Cheeky Xmas
Head: WS Nala (Roll Call Kit)
Body: Skyward Anya

Christmas cards are so fun to make, especially with stamps that aren't traditionally for Christmas! This week's FFF Challenge is to use your Favorite Embellishment. My favorite embellishment is bling, in just about any form! I rose to the challenge and this little girlie is decked out in wink of stella, stickles, liquid pearls, and pearl flourishes. The image I used is actually a few different TGF images put together colored with my copics. For the hat I used Cheeky X-mas, the head belongs to the adorable Wild Sprout Nala from the Roll Call Kit (retired, sorry!) and the body is the exclusive Skyward Anya. I love playing around with TGF stamps, seeing who's head looks good on who's body to create a whole new stamp is just so much fun. The DP I used was something from my LCS' open stock. Both the sentiment and the cork tree embellishment was created by me using the accent stamp from the Cheeky X-mas set stamped in SU! Real Red. The tree was stamped on DCWV adhesive cork paper and punched out with circle punch. Can't wait to join in the challenge over at The Farm