Sniff, sniff...No tags today

I spent yesterday at my lss, Buffal Stamps and Stuff, making a "happy holidays" banner. Whew, who knew there were so many steps to it. I'm such a neophyte that I didn't even think about the complexity in advance, just thought of how wonderful the final result would be!

The wonderful Mona did all the cutout and organization prep work in advance - an enormous undertaking for which we were all most grateful. Paper selection (Bo Bunny, I think), die cuts, ribbons, stickles, glue, glitter (and LOTS of it), and more supplies than I can remember as my head is still spinning from the fun we had. 

In any case I took some photos of her work so that I would be able to remember the final steps to finish mine We worked for at least 4 hours and I'll need maybe a few more to complete it. Hence, no Tim tags yesterday or today. 

But, you will see some of Mona's detailed and beautiful work. It are the piccies with her permission, but I don't feel comfortable sharing her directions without her okey dokey.  Sorry about the quality of the photos, but you'll get the idea if you make the pics larger.  Here is Mona's finished banner. I think you'll get some of the details if you click on the photo.The glitter on the rosettes behind each letter has a spectacular effect....you'll see.

Here is a close up of the beginning of the saying - Happy Holidays. Notice the eyelets and the effect of the red distressing ink and the red and gold bling on the letters and rosettes? Designing this was a labor of love that Mona enjoyed. Did I already sing her praises on her creativity and organization? Well, if I did, it still isn't enough to express the gratitude that all six of us in the class felt.

For each panel there are seven layers, but here you only see six. See how she used Tim Holtz's tiny attacher to connect the panels. I will need to lay out the panels so they have a slight curve to them before stapling and after that tie the ribbons to hide the staples.

I think it is ingenious and has such a impact. Can't wait to hang it on my beautiful 1889 mantle. The mantle was salvaged from a mansion in NYC that was being demolished, can you imagine! When my banner is done I'll post a photo for you.

In the meantime, I thought I'd share another peek at a corner of my house.  This is in the Yellow Guest Room - a collection of hat boxes and suitcases. Second from the bottom was my dad's briefcase that he carried for over 40 years as a professors at Butler University in Indianapolis. The green suitcase is one I picked up at an Amish barn sale in Shipshewana Indiana. It is a child's case that would accommodate toys and Amish dolls. Fifty cents, eat your hearts out bargain shoppers. rofl

Okay, enough blathering for now, I'm off to make sparkly goodness and then move on to Tim's tags. Hope you have a sunny day and that you make something fun! Hugs from beautiful snowy Buffalo, NY.

PS  Niagara Falls didn't get ANY snow during our storm this week. Such is the fickleness of the winds off Lake Erie! 

Dec 4 - Tim tags Days 1 - 2 - 3

Have I ever been busy making tags! Just a quickie post tonight as I have 2 classes in the a.m. at my local stamp store. Each day I've been following along and making Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of Christmas. If you check here you'll see what Tim's look like and get the details on how to make your own.  Mine are somewhat different in that I don't have all the same supplies as Mr. Tim, but that's part of the beauty of doing this...creating something with what you already have in your own stash. 

Since a promised a quick note tonight here we go.  Tag #1 (I photographed this on an heirloom tablecloth)

Tag #2 (grandma's blue earring on the left)

 Tag # 3

 One more pic. Our Buffalo weather has been in the national news the past couple of days. Well, we knew the storm was coming, stocked up on food and t.p., and staying off the roads. Here's my favorite tree with snow on it. It's a Harry Lauder's walking stick. Very cool, n'est-ce pas? (you love when I toss in a little français!)

 So long for now. Be back with tag #4  Hope you made something fun today.

Dec. 1 Already! WOYWW

Yippee, it's beginning to look a lot like, yep, winter! Today we have snow just as the weatherman predicted, even though he's not always this accurate. Thought you'd like to see what the yard looks like before we get to the WOYWW part. I really like snow, slush, the whole shebang. I wonder how beautiful Niagara Falls looks today? Probably pretty spectacular.

If the snow hasn't scared you off, take a hop over to Julia's Stamping Ground to see what's on other work desks around the world. That's what I love about woyww, you can stay warm at home with a cup of tea (I understand that Europe is having a terrible cold spell) and visit friends everywhere!

Here's what I have done the past few days - don't hate me now - my (store bought) holiday cards are finished and in the mail. Even the ones to Canada, Switzerland, Brazil, Germany and Sweden! The office desk is a wreck. It's where I have the computer, phone and tv. I was up early (9 am is early for me) and anxious to open Sir Tim Holtz's website to see what  tag #1 looked like. So very cool, you have to see it and get the 50 step directions here! 

I've been to the post office and mailed the xmas cards and now have gathered the necessary stash to commence making tag #1. Here's what my craft desk in the basement looks like (no tv, no computer, no phone, just uninterrupted space! Well, it really is quite messy and full of stash, but whatever, it works for me and I'm sure it works at your place, too.

 Well, dear folks, off you go on your hop to other WOYWW spots. Enjoy and make something fun. Holiday hugs.

 

WOYWW - I forgot something

Ooops, I forgot to send you over to Julia's at the Stamping Ground to visit other creative souls' studios. Please leave a comment when you visit. They truly appreciate your visit and value feedback. Taa

WOYWW - almost clean

WOYWW - almost clean

Yesterday was spent cleaning the atelier aka, room of stash, aka furnace room. Stash had flown helter skelter about the room from Monday's flurry of activity. Bits and pieces were found in places that only a mouse could fit. lol  My craft sheet now has some empty space around the edges. See for yourself.

Don't get all antsy when you see the holiday cards here. None of them are my own design. They are from classes that I took at Buffalo Stamps and Stuff owned by the kind, generous and funny Sharon. some people think we look alike. We do share the same taste in antiques and clothing. Her patience with people (slow workers like me) is admirable. She plans the most wonderful variety of classes with a highly talented group of ladies, for whom I am most grateful.

 

Back to the cards - I plan to send one to my mom everyday in December - she gets a kick out of it and I enjoy it too. I'll also make one a day for my 90 year old friend Charlie, it cheers her up as the days pass slowly by in the nursing home. She is a dear and shares many funny and naughty stories. She worked over 60 (yeah 60) years in the same school district and retired on her own terms. My kinda gal. 

 As for my desk, I love the Mary Englebreit poster behind all my scissors. can you ever have too many scissors? I put it on my desk to remind me of the the need to simplify life I'm such a pack rat lol and appreciate all that is around us. 

Which brings me to Thanksgiving. Tomorrow morning is the Turkey Trot in Buffalo, NY. I'll go with my friend Margaret to serve beer at 9 am at the Convention Center. Can you imagine? Beer at that hour? I'll let you know more after the experience. It's going to be a trip with people in costumes, a second coming of Halloween. rofl

This holiday weekend is a huge celebration in town with all the expats returning to their roots for one long party of food, drink and friends. Wednesday night at the bars, Thursday morning Trot followed by beverages, followed by family dinner which includes more imbibing. Friday and Saturday are hockey games Buffalo Sabres and Sunday is Buffalo Bills football. Almost makes me wish I was young and stupid again to partake in the festivities. rofl Glad I'm not, though. 
  
St. Donald and I will be joining friends for turkey, good wine and laughter. I'll raise a glass to you all.

Now to brag some more about The Saint. He just finished printing out our Christmas card labels. He is much more techno savvy than I am and spent all of yesterday helping a friend set up her new computer. Maybe I'll get to the store bought cards on Friday. To tell the truth it will take me a couple weeks before they go out, so don't be jealous.

 Okay, I've blathered on long enough, this was supposed to be a short post, but I've got a captive audience if you haven't logged off just yet. Wishing you a good weekend and hope you have time to make something fun.

 

Not to panic .. CCC #23

Ok, so this is my first official entry to Linda's CC Challenge of Double Distress. Sounds like a panic attack to me. lol  As I made this project there were moments of distressing fun, fun distressing and panic when the distressing didn't work. Confused? So was I, all day. 
  
As usual I made it more complicated than it had to be, but that's only because I kept going until I got the look just right. And I used a few more techniques to play catch up with some of the other challenges.  Here is the thingy that I made. It's not a tag, it's not a card, it's just a thing. A pretty pinky-red-greeny thing. Are you ready for the pics ... They look totally different when scanned (the top one with black background) and photographed (on the bottom with dark pink paper.) Anyhow, I thought I'd let you see both.

 

The top third of the card is a separate piece of grungepaper glued to the lower portion. If I had to do it over I'd still make this one first to work out the kinks and make a second one better. Sorta like cooking a good dinner, but since I don't cook, well, it is what it is.

The embossed bingo board is colored with crushed olive and aged mahogany distressed inks. The red in the mahogany turned out great, even if I say so myself. The snow flurries from the On the Edge die cut off the bottom portion of the bingo board. So I covered the snow flakes' DI's with snow cap pigment ink. Instead of the ink pad I used the re-inker on a cut & dry foam pad to keep the "real" ink pad from turning green and red. (hope that makes sense) Finally I used Ranger's Enchanted Gold embossing powder to give the snowflakes a yellowy-sparkley feel. No jokes from the peanut gallery about yellow snow! rofl

Next I made an extra #25 from the bingo embossing folder and inked it with snow cap pigment ink and black soot DI, then topped it off with Tuxedo vintage glass glitter. It looks totally different, a rich, deep black. Try it sometime.

Then I turned my attention span (sometimes very short. lol) to the holiday greetings with, let's say it together, more snow cap pigment ink. Love that stuff! Used the blending tool with more aged mahogany, topped it with perfect medium & perfect pearls interference red, a quick spritz of water and...the DI ran! Panic again. forgot to heat set it. Wash it off, start again, turn off the water works, chin up and keep moving. By some magical happenstance the second time gave the effect I wanted - deep rose pearl shimmer.

Finally I used alcohol ink to color the bird, crown (lemonade) and heart (cranberry). I just love the alcohol ink pens, they make it so much easier to control the placement of the ink. The leaves and mini fleur are chipped enamel with the Enchanted Gold EP, but that didn't turn out right the first time around. Panic. Success on the second try. Phew. 

This is all a very long-winded explanation. I probably should have just listed the supplies and said, Here it is. Go at it. But I didn't, now I will ...DI aged mahogany, crushed olive, black soot; snow cap pigment ink; blending tool and cut & dry foam pads; embossing powder, glass glitter; perfect pearls & perfect medium; grungepaper; on the edge die; bingo embossing folder; and alcohol ink. 

Hope there is something in this post for you that will take the fear out of a mistake in technique. I used to tell my students that we should allow ourselves 25 mistakes per day (for teenagers this makes lots of sense) so we can learn from them and move forward. For me today's panicked moments are finished. Later I'll go make another something fun. Hope you do, too.