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

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