Jeeping...

Jeeping has replaced crafting.  Or so it would seem.  Although I have tried being a demo for another stamp company after the demise of TAC, it seems I just am unable to get back the full mojo.  My desire to be a hobbyist continues, but now working a full-time job, my creative time has been curtailed.  Well, that and the fact that we bought a jeep.  Yep!  So, where I would normally have been able to squeeze in some crafty time, I'm sucked into the art of getting dirty and going broke while slowly heading nowhere and taking all day to do it.  This site will remain up.  Perhaps someday I'll get back to the crafty side of life.  For now, expect to see lots of jeeping photos and trip reports here.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

January 2012

Happy New Year!

Do you make "resolutions"?

I suppose I do... I call them GOALS.

Organization is a good one, along with a load of unfinished projects.

I accomplished more this past year than I thought I would. I did get treats done for teachers, kids classmates, sorority sisters, and co-workers. However, I do admit that I am lousey at getting the photos done. Add that goal to my list for the coming year.

I also intend to do a better job with the whole blogging thing here. I started this for a reason and hopefully accomplishing the rest of my new year goals will assist with getting this blog rejuvenated for the coming year.

Stamps: TAC (disc.)

Paper: The Paper Studio All Seasons Pack II, 4" coasters (from Stamp On This)

Calendar: Printed from Oz-some Stamps (Thanks, Heather!)

Cards are ready...

Saturday is right around the corner and so is the annual Stamp-a-stack. The card baskets are ready! Which one will be your favorite for this year?

Looking forward to seeing you!

Edited to add: photo of all 10 cards for 2011

Annual Stamp-a-Stack

It's that time of year again! Can you spot your favorites from years past? Can you spot the new cards?

The Christmas card Stamp-a-Stack will be Saturday, November 12 at 10:00 am. Join me to create 20 beautiful handmade cards for only $35.

Space is limited to 10 so please call and reserve a spot. Price includes lunch and envelopes. As always please bring your own adhesives (Recommended: GlueGlider Pro.) I hope you are all anxious to see this years spectacular creations! Remember everyone gets a "goodie" (which is my FAVORITE tool this year) and a prize!

Toilet Tube Mini Book

Yes... you read that correctly. It IS a mini book made from toilet tubes. Awsome, huh?
What a great way to up-cycle and prepare some lovely and meaningful Christmas gifts or momentos. Or perhaps have it ready as a great gift for the Holidays... which are only 66 days away!


Here are some photos of what we will create in class. 3 Tubes with inserts perfect for more photos or journaling, binder rings, stamping, and embellishments all included!


So... join me in the cave on Saturday, October 29 at 10:00 am to create this little book for yourselves! (class fee only $7...remember to bring your own adhesive! or... use mine for $1 more) Don't forget to call me! Space in the cave is limited.




Also coming up... since we were speaking of the Holidays...
The annual Stamp-a-Stack will be on Saturday, November 12 at 10:00 am ($30 with your own adhesive...or $35 with mine )


Photo cube class (another great gift idea) on Thursday, November 17 at 7:00 pm ($7)

Calendar class on Monday, November 28 at 7:00 pm ($10)

Keep checking my blog (or get the e-mail updates) or friend me on Facebook to be notified of more classes.

Are you "Buyer AWARE" with Angel Policies?

With the demise of The Angel Company, hereafter referred to as TAC, are most of you aware of other stamp companies "Angel Policies?" A former fellow angel posted a soapbox commentary on this subject today and I think now is as good a time as any to join her on that box.


There are 2 big reasons I signed with TAC and stayed with them from the beginning to the bitter end. 1) TAC was an Angel company meaning, as long as you created with hand stamped images, you were free to do as you wished with that creation. 2) The minimum sale requirements were reasonably attainable.

With their "angel policy" TAC created a stir in the industry, especially being a home demo company! At that time the other 2 big home demo companies that I knew about had high sales minimums, AND their stamps could only be used "for personal use." TAC changed that. Not completely, but it did prompt those other companies to modify their policies!


Be careful when you purchase stamps with the intent to create items which may later be sold or even donated. Are you aware of each and every "angel policy" of each and every company you have purchased from? Are you aware that some companies require a copyright stamp to be used on the back of creations you intend to sell or even donate to your local bazaar!?! Are you aware some companies DO NOT allow you to use their images in conjunction with any other company's images? Are you aware of image limitations? Are you also aware of copyright infringement laws and the stiff fines and penalties for getting caught?


So, you see where I am going with this, right? I really do not have the time or energy to keep up with "angel policies" that have specific requirements. This is something you also need to be aware of in the new digital design world out there also. Yes, they also have policies regarding their copyrights!

Which brings me to another point... Have you tried to locate the "angel policy" of stamp companies while on thier website? Some of them make it easy for you, right there at the top of the web page.... just click on "angel policy." Others you have to really search for... In fact, one big company out there had it under Legal (which, by the way, was in tiny print at the very bottom of their home page) then you needed to find Policies, then further still, Angel Policy. Usually an indication it's a convoluted policy if you really have to look for it.


In this "buyer beware" world we seem to live in, I hope this dissertation has made some of you a bit more "buyer AWARE." Personally, I do not purchase from companies if they are not "Angel companies" nor do I purchase from companies with long drawn out policies that generally require copyright stamps and the like. WAY too much to keep track of when you purchase from multiple companies and use those designs together in one creation. Can you imagine if I used 3 stamps of 3 different companies that all required a copyright stamp on the back of the creation? BLEH!


With many TAC Angels (former demonstrators) with the dilema of "what's next?"... this is definitely somthing to keep in mind.

Scripture sympathy...

We all have need for sympathy cards every now and then. I try to make a few ahead so I have one when I need it. Here are some samples of the latest I've been able to get done.

They are all pretty similar... just changed up the background paper a bit and the scripture saying. Easy, but still created distinct cards!

The scripture sayings are from Our Daily Bread Designs. (Love their stuff!) And the Tree and leaves used in the background are TAC stamps.

Grad cards

Here are a couple of the grad cards I did a while back.
I really like the JustRite stampers for this kind of thing. It really makes it personal!
This is just a very basic card sketch that is versatile and easy, but still creates effective and stunning cards. Love it!

Cause to Rejoice....

...it's your birthday!

Do you think it's "manly" enough? I used this for my Father-in-law.

For this card I used the Heiroglyph Horses, Script background, and Amberly Grace paper & coordinating cardstock from TAC. I also used a retired set Bookoo Blessings for the saying on the outside and Just Because on the inside.

The pocket for the gift card is the library pocket die by Papertrey Ink.


It all came together well, don't you think?

A Grand Bouquet

I haven't actually decided what I want to use this card for yet. So, the inside remains.... blank.

But looky how wonderful the colors blend in with the background paper!! Fortuitious circumstance for sure!

I have decided it's probably much easier to coordinate colors of paper and pens before coloring the image, but so far I've been pretty lucky to have it all work out anyway!

This is made with the discontinued stamp Grand Bouquet

Serenading the moon

Yes... it's another discontinued stamp from TAC. But really... I loved the image then, and I still do...

So, why not use it? To me the artwork is very whimsical but not too cutesy.

I used the nestabilities for the main image, more Basic Grey paper from a 6x6 pad, and plain white cardstock with decorative edge punches.

Sending you sunshine

This stamp is just like T-3330 Hello Day from TAC but was a limited edition in a smaller size a while back. Doesn't make it any less cute! It reminds me of little girls playing "dress up."

This was an image that I stamped a few off and then colored in. Thank goodness I have a bunch of the 6x6 Basic Grey paper pads and found this paper to coordinate!

Mini Envelope Album for the folks

My In-laws recently came for a visit. Little did they know they would be roped into helping us get the tile backsplash done in our kitchen! So, I put together this little book as a Thank you for all their help. And... since they didn't get to see the completed project... yet.





This great idea came from my friend Julie. It was a project we did at one of her Stamping Get-Togethers a couple years ago. This uses one 6 x 9 manila envelope and one 4 1/2 x 6 invitation envelope. I used one of the TAC paper packs because it blended well with my photos and with the golden color of the manila envelope. Plus I had plenty of tags for journaling and tabs for the photo pulls. The ribbon on the left side is the binding that holds the envelopes together. It closes like a book and when put together has 2 pockets perfect for adding more pictures.

Inside I added several pictures of the progress we made in our recent kitchen upgrade.

As you can see in the binding, the ribbon is put through 2 holes in the envelopes to put this together.

Here the second photo shows how I added additional photos to the inside envelope on a piece of cardstock with a pull-out tab.

Then, as you turn the page (or the inner envelope) you have 2 more surfaces to scrap plus the pocket created by the manila envelope too!

Another piece of cardstock and a tab for a couple more photos and that makes it project complete!

Melody's Shower

My sorority recently had a baby shower for one of our sisters. I had to do the invites, of course! I love doing that stuff... So here it is! I used some retired TAC stamps and a new die from Papertrey Ink. Love it! Makes those cute little windows oh-so-easy!

Here's the card we gave with the sorority gift featuring another retired TAC stamp and another Papertrey Ink die. Simple, but still elegant.

Lastly, the card I made to accompany my little gift. I totally stamp-lifted this idea from someone out there in internet land but I don't recall who it was (sorry!) but thank you for the inspiration!

Theo... in colors!

If you know me, you know I have a fondness for cats. Yes, yes I do.

Theo the cat from TAC is quite a looker, isn't he?

And oh so fun to color! I haven't been brave enough to make him crazy colors yet, like blue or lavender, but I may give it a try on my next project.

Today he is normal cat color. But I did give the chair a splash of color.

Is it easier to color the image and then find paper to match or select the paper first? What are your thoughts on this creative process?

Here's an image of the completed card. Cute, huh? I love the Basic Grey 6x6 paper pads! Perfect for cardmakers!

That creative edge is a Papertrey Ink die cut. Love it!

And here's another take on the same theme!

Which one is YOUR favorite? What can I say, I like them both!

Here's hoping you are all having an EXCELLENT day!

Father's Day 2011

Here are some cards I did for Father's Day this year.
I have to say, it feels good to be back in my craft room actually crafting again!
My health is doing much better and I anticipate begin able to do more and plan some classes for the fall.

This is done with a retired stamp from TAC and colored with copic markers. I am really loving those! The more I use them, the more I like them!

This card was for my father-in-law as he owns a similar vehicle.

Here's a card I did for my daddy! We treated him well for Father's Day. Brunch with all the fixin's and a prime rib roast dinner. (That put a smile on his face!) There's not too much you can get for a guy who already has everything, you know?

He seemed to like his card though! The ducks are another retired TAC stamp and again... colored with copic markers. The decorative paper is TAC on dark brown cardstock. The edges were done with the TAC edgers stamp in versamark and then covered with Pearl Ex (yeah, remember that stuff?) It gave the card just the right touch.

Finally, the card I created for my DH. This lovely scene was created from Stampscape stamps (tree, mountains, clouds with sun) and TAC (elk) but it all came together pretty well, if I do say so myself! I like how this one turned out!

Again, colored with the copic markers. LOVE them!

So... what do you think?

Hello Friend...

Lately I've taken to trying to stamp off a bunch of images to color and then make the cards later. So far I have lots of images, and very few cards. Here's one I actually managed to complete!

It's an interesting challenge to match papers and cardstock to an image I've already colored. That's when the Basic Grey 6x6 pads are sure helpful. I've found some excellent matches. But I do wonder if maybe I'm not doing this backwards.





Here's the finished card. What do you think?

Where I've been... (mostly not crafting related)

Although I did get treats done for Dom's school friends for Valentine's Day... I forgot to get the photos, so I couldn't post that. Sorry!
It seems since then I've been working on our kitchen mini re-do, or upgrade, if you will. And since I did get some photos of that, I'll share!
These are the before. See that strip of green behind the stove? Yes, my whole kitchen and great room were that color when we moved in. That was the first thing we changed.... the color. I like natural tones so the walls became Classic Taupe in the kitchen, and further into the great room we used the same above the chair rail, and Cliff Rock below.














The black countertops were not my choice either and eventually they just HAD to go! So, of course, we upgraded to granite. LOVE it! We were able to select our own slabs and lay out the pattern. We got the best features of the natural stone included in our counters. There's a beautiful rust, black, quartz vein that runs through the island. Totally AWESOME!!

And you all know, with nice granite counter tops, we had to go with a tile backsplash. We used the natural Cabo tiles and I do like the way it looks with our granite. This is also the crafty part of the post. Check out that lovely decor feature above the stove. Carl and I designed and created that ourselves! We used some leftover scraps from our countertops and used those as the mountains so it all ties together! We priced some designs similar to this one, and let me tell you, they were PRICEY! So, I'm glad that my DH could figure out how to do this ourselves for a fraction the cost of a specialty piece.

We have lots of natural lighting in our great room from both North and South windows, and I thought it was amazing how much the room brightened up with the paint. Well... I was mistaken. Once we got those black countertops out and the granite in... we now have a beautifully naturally lit great room. What a difference! It's like a complete transformation! And I LOVE it!

Christmas Treats!

I've been busy working on treats for teachers and co-workers.
(Sorry about the photo here.... I was having camera issues.) I love these Aladdin mugs! They are so much fun to decorate and personalize! These went to Carl's co-horts at West Elk along with a few goodies packed in around those mugs. My only problem was I couldn't close the bags!









The mugs here went to most of my co-workers. The candy bar was a special gift to my Jewish co-worker.

Normally, I am NOT a big fan of Martha Stewart. However, she certainly knows how to employ an excellent creative staff. The treat bags she put out this year were actually very helpful to me in putting together these little goodies with a few decorating details of my own. Those darling silver bells had a very sweet tone and I got nine (yes, count them 9) all for a buck!






These cute little goodies were another great find and easy to decorate and of course, fill with yummy biscotti. (According to Mr. Jensen, I make the best biscotti, apparently, even better than what he could get in Italy.) Dominic took the pillow boxes for his classmates with a couple Kit-Kats tucked inside. That sums up my treat making extravaganza for Christmas 2010.
Enjoy your Holidays and I wish all of you all the best for 2011!

Theo... for Christmas!

Any of you who are familiar with TAC's new Theo the cat stamps know they are not really Christmas stamps but that does not mean they can not be used for your Christmas cards!

For example, add a Santa Hat with a bit of fluff and bling (aka fun flock with glitter) and.... WhaCha!! Christmas card! Now, I am not the "Bah Humbug" type, but really, who could be after seeing this card! It just makes me laugh. My cat, Simba, was the inspiration for this particular card. He is little "Mr. Snarky" and has had to endure the Santa hat every season, especially with Megan around!

The inside of the card reads, " merry Christmas.... when do we open presents?" which is exactly what my snarkums would say, in cat language, of course.

Deets:

Stamps: T-3430 Just a Cat, TAC-2863 Merry Words, T-1253 Christmas Fun

CS: Kraft, Dk Brn, Bazzill Red, White

Color: Copics: R81, R29, YG11, E70, E74, YR23, YR21

Ink: Momemto Black Tuxedo, Pallette Burnt Umber

Other: Fun flock mixed with Glitter, Tacky glue pen, mounting foam, adhesive