Pretty Rosette Card

Ugh, the weekend got worse.  I spent several hours in the ER with my son.  In the end, he has 3 separate but miserable illnesses going on and that makes for one miserable child.  The Strep was positive so left with amoxicillin and hope that we are on the right track now.

I have a thing for Rosettes- you may have noticed- and rosettes+washi tape = SWOON.  Honestly if  had made more I probably would have added them to this card as well.   I just couldn't stop!

Laters Baby…..

Alcohol Ink Cards

After 2 months of being sick on and off, my son decided to top off this weekend with a temp of 103 and more vomiting that I care to remember.  He also has a very sore throat making him miserable.  Obviously there has been no crafting in this house.  Instead there has been lots and lots of snuggling and holding and trying to comfort.  

I made some cards last week using the same alcohol ink/polished stone technique.

This tag has a small piece of alcohol ink technique between the two strips of polka dot washi tape.

This card uses stamps from Michelle Ward (she commented on my last post- too bad she didn't see this one!). 

Rub ons, washi tape, and rhinestones. 

More rub ons, rhinestones, and washi tape.  I love how this card turned out. 

Laters Baby….

Polished Stone Tags

Here are two more tags that I made last weekend.  This is a variation of the tag I made for the Compendium 2 Challenge.  I loved the colors so much I kept going.  The tags are made by cutting glossy white cardstock into #8 tag shape.  I planned to add an Idea-ology hole reinforcer, but I decided I didn't want to distract from the design and color palate.  

The tags were made using the alcohol-ink patina or polished stone technique.  I will admits that I went a little lot overboard with the gold metallic alcohol ink and it made a mess.  I found that by using a baby wipe and a lot of elbow grease I was able to remove some of the offensive ink.

The rub ons are Basic Grey- I bought 240 packages from Ebay several months ago for like $40.  SCORE!  I just checked and couldn't find a current listing but she was running them frequently a few months ago.  You could certainly doodle the  vines with a permanent black pen but remember I have no drawing talent :(  

I added my signature rhinestones and added some pretty colored pearls as well.  The ribbon was colored with Glimmer Mist-tutorial coming soon.  I love the whimsy of the rub ons over the gorgeous colors.

Laters Baby….

Pretty Pink Tags

 Last weekend I spent time making things for Tim's challenge and class.  I started making Tags and just couldn't stop. 

I am head-over-heels in love with the pink backgrounds.  This tag is sweet and simple with just a few embellishments. 

This tag has a sweet crepe paper skirt.

Love the flowers and the black and white polka dots.

This is my favorite.  I love the background colors, the polka dots-punched are from "polished stone" or alcohol inks on glossy cardstock.  The butterflies, the rhinestones and the little black harlequin ruffle…so sweet. 

Laters Baby….. 

Things Crafty April Challange

Things Crafty, the craft community, has posted an April Challenge.  As a Design Team member, I posted some cards as inspiration.

                                 

The background papers are from Tim Holtz Idea-ology Paper Stash.  The edges were all inked with Distress Ink in a variety of coordinating colors.  The flowers were cut using Tattered Florals and a variety of Sizzix dies and Basic Grey Lemonade papers.  I added brads and adhesive-backed rhinestones as well as old Basic Grey rub ons.  

Hop on over and check out the submission or submit your own work.  The contest-with prizes- is open for all media.  

The green seam binding was hand-dyed using a Glimmer Mist.  Once it was dry I used my sewing machine to attach it to the card.  

Laters Baby...

Compendium Challenge Week 2: Faux Patina

Week two of Studio L3's Compendium of Curiosity 2 (By Tim Holtz) Challenge is Faux Patina. I still can't find my copy of Compendium but thankfully my memory-and a little help from Google- serves me well.  I have alcohol inks but I've been too scared to actually use them….until I was forced to on this project.  Now, I'm hooked.   I never liked the translucent look of the inks on metal but this technique makes it all opaque and gorgeous. 

The ribbons are seam binding that I "hand dyed" (more on that later).  

Laters Baby….

Sneak Peak

I haven't forgotten about you.  I started writing a post which is taking longer than I intended.  And yes, I am fully aware that all most of my posts are verbose.  Let's just put it out there…. I talk a lot.  Whew, I feel better.  You?

This tendency toward wordiness is not something that sprouted with social media. Oh no I have a long history with the gab.  Twitter is a constant struggle for me with its 140 characters?  Are you kidding me!?!  Thankfully blogging gives me free rein to talk all I want.  My blog= my posts…. and they can be as long as I want them to be.  Bwa hahahaha.

My gift for gab not only pre-dates my blog, it predates The Information Super Highway Who remembers when they called the internet, The Information Super Highway?  I digress, I was telling you about my proclivity for verbiage…  I have been told that I am a Story Teller….which I believe is a nice way of saying "you have a big mouth" aka a talker aka chatty cathy...Once- long, long ago-during a midnight-7am shift at Duke Hospital (I'm a nurse) at….oh, about 4am….I was doing my usual talk and talk and talk.  Suddenly it dawned on me that I was the only one talking.  I stopped long enough to listen for an answer to my question "why aren't you talking?" (did you see that?  I understood that I had to stop talking if I wanted to hear them talk).  A fellow nurse named Amy nonchalantly replied "you are a story teller and I'm not".   Oh….okay….is that bad?  Probably at 4am it is!

That conversation occurred 15 years ago yet it's obvious that nothing has changed, except now rather than failing to keep my mouth shut, I can't keep my fingers from floating over the keyboard pressing keys at the speed of light (ever seen me type?  I"m am ridiculously fast and ridiculously inaccurate).

As proof of my wordiness issue I give you this post.  It was supposed to be a quick clue and a mysterious picture to tease you into returning and yet it is turning into a multi-paragraph explosion of verbal diarrhea.  

This is a teaser for my upcoming post regarding a very exciting event that occurred in NYC.  While in the city I was determined to eat at Top Chef restaurants and to visit one of my favorite people.  Any idea what I did?

Some Clues?
I took Ryann…
We needed tickets…
There was a "dress code"…
There was swag….
It was fascinating and so much fun…

Any guesses? 

Laters Baby…...

Washi Tape and John Derian Co.

Safari has crashed twice on me so this is the 3rd time I am attempting to write this post.  Jeez, maybe the universe is trying to tell me something.  1.….2…..3…

Source: Cute Tape

Source: Happy Tape

Washi tape is very on trend right now.  If you haven't heard of it…. you will soon.  Washi is a paper tape that originates in Japan.  It is pressure sensitive and tougher than other papers, making it easy to apply or remove.   In fact,  it is almost goof proof.  If you don't like the look, it is easy to pull it off and replace it where you want it.

Washi tapes are beautiful.  They come in almost any color you can imagine-including metallics-and in hundreds of different patterns.  The rolls are sold in a variety of widths from 1/8th to 1/2 inch.  It comes in small rolls…. I tried to figure out how many yards are in a typical roll but I couldn't find a number.   Single rolls run around $4 each which makes Washi Tape a great deal for a powerful craft tool.

Source:Cute Tape

How many ways to Washi?  Washi tape and paper go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly.  Washi adds a beautiful and fun accent to greeting cards, wrapping paper, stationary, letters, scrapbooks, and photos.

Source: Cute Tape

Recently, Washi came off the paper and moved over to home decor.  It a perfect way to bring a fresh look to glassware, lampshades and mirrors.  I recently saw a blogger use it to update her kitchen cafe curtains.  While I am not so sure I would use it on fabric because I am not sure how long it will look great, it is an interesting concept.  Nothing else is as inexpensive, easy to apply (and remove) and offered in so many colors and patterns.  The only limit to the number of awesome projects made with Washi Tape is your imagination.   I just  started a Pinterest board for Washi Projects that I will fill with all the  fun things I come across as I read blogs, follow trends, visit Etsy shops and create projects.  Visit the board and come back often.***

Idea-ology Tissue Taps

Source: Cute Tape

It isn't just crafters and bloggers who have discovered and fell in love with Washi.  Tim Holtz developed his Idea-ology Tissue Tape several years ago and has continued to add designs.  The Tissue Tapes all have neutral backgrounds with black lettering.  Some of Tim's tapes have colored designs and most have text.  While I love the neutral colors, Tissue Tapes lack the color PUNCH I love in traditional Washi.  However, this is easy to overcome.  Though I keep forgetting, it is easy to color the tape with ink.

Tim isn't the only designer who loves the look of Washi.  Other scrapbook companies have jumped on board and I noticed at the January CHA, that a large number of companies now include paper tapes in their collections.  Their designs seem to have more complex patterns and a lot of text, like Tim's designs, compared to traditional Washi…. I love it!

Tissue Paper at John Derian
$265/489 sheets

I have a lot of Tim's designs…I even won the Christmas set from Tim (by simply leaving a comment during his 12 Tags of Christmas) but I had no Washi. :(   It wasn't that I didn't want any or that I hadn't looked for some but having no local source means I had to go online and frankly, I quickly became overwhelmed.  I couldn't figure out exactly what I wanted  and I couldn't find any one seller that sold the colors I wanted.  While in NYC I stumbled upon a small selection in an unexpected place and now I have my first pretty project to share.

Petite Four
Wrapping paper $4/sheet

I found a small selection of beautiful tapes at John Derian Company, Inc, a fabulous home decor store located in the neighborhood of Noho.  John Derian carries a large selection of beautiful objects to make a house a home.  They specialize in decoupage- though this is not the Mod-Podge decoupage seen on Pinterest.  John Derian carry fabulous wrapping papers as well as pretty kraft paper tags and magnets made from the oddest designs.   Throughout the store there is a mixture of vintage and new pieces.  This is seen in the pieces of art they carry as well.   The store offers a small, but interesting and eclectic, mix of artists including Once in a While  by British artist Hugo Guinness, framed in a vintage frame and the whimsical, paper mache characters made by Julie Arkell.

Decoupage, like nothing you have seen before, is the specialty of John Derian.  Mod Podge need not apply.  This is stunning stuff here.  Stunning and complicated and very expensive.  They use a technique of applying the papers under or inside the glass so that the result is a shiny surface with a depth that paper alone does not posses.  What is so special is that the designs remain intact yet there isn't a wrinkle to be found.  I picked up a few pieces to see how it is done.  While I could see a few cut lines on the inside- not on the outside- I couldn't figure it out.  The store had thousands of pieces but here are a few of my favorites….

Cloche: Birds of Prey
$2,150

Bell Jar Geranium, $1,045
 Seriously??  Yes indeed!

Rose $645

The cake plates are stackable making for a stunning display.

PinkHydrangea $350

Malva Rose Rubro Simplici $410

Cut Flowers: Peony $298

Woodland Creatures $1,320

Barnacles $3,080

You can check out their website to see more.

Hugo Guinness Once in a While $4200

Julie Arkell's charming characters

Mushroom Consoles from $140 to $350

There is a second store next door- John Derian Dry Goods- which carries furniture and rugs; again a mix of vintage and new.  I heard one of the women calling her source for rug cleaning to come and pick up a variety of vintage- but dirty-rugs that were sitting by the front door 

John Derian Dry Goods vintage rug $300

Coop Chair $2250

So, what did I make with my Washi Tape?

I made some fun and easy little tags- in fact I did it will watching TV.  I made the tags as a set with the intention of tying them both to a package or send them in an envelope together. 

The tags are inexpensive "shipping tags" available at Staples, Office Max and Office Depot.  

***If you haven't succumbed to the wonder that is Pinterest, I suggest you get over there ASAP and request an invite.  You either have to get an invite from a friend or request an invite from Pinterest.  I hear that it is faster to get an invite from a friend- send me an email with the email address that you want to use and I will invite you.  Take a look at my boards- I usually find my pins on the web- blogs, stores, Etsy, etc- rather than on Pinterest.   It doesn't take long to realize that people pin off of Pinterest which results in a lot of repetition as the same pictures/recipes/ideas show up over and over and over again.

Laters baby….

Compendium of Curiosity Challenge

Tim Holtz has just released his new book out, The Compendium of Curiosity Vol.2.  Studio L3 has started a weekly Compendium Vol 2 challenge working our way thru the book.  I have never actually completed a challenge like this so it should be interesting but I am excited.  

This first week is Custom Foam Stamps.  We have been asked to NOT explain the technique on our blogs (it is on page 66 of the book) so I shall try to keep my month shut.  I will add that I added an extra step to the process using a sharp stick to impress details into my foam stamp.  The effort ended up looking much like a hand-carved stamp.  

I made a nest with shredded paper and glued it down with Glossy Accents. 

The bird is a chipboard piece from Maya Road- painted.  I added a rhinestone eye and some rub on details. 

This butterfly was "carved" to add the spots and lines.

I added the ribbons, pin, a crystal dangle and the "journey" charm.

I love how the "carving" looks on the leaves. 

The metal tag was impressed with the word "Inspire" and distressed with Tim's distressing hammer.  I added some Paint Dabber to further distress it. It is held on with a brad.

The butterflies were all embossed and fussy cut.

The detail on the butterflies is evident.

Simon Says Stamp is offering a $25 gift certificate to one randomly chosen participant. 

Laters Baby. ...