A FEW MORE PAGES

It has been a while since I have updated my BLOG. Its not that I haven't been doing anything, thought I haven't been doing much but work. I just haven't had time to photograph and process what I have been working on. I continue to work on my nephews Baseball album. Here are a couple of more pages that I have finished. I actually got two others completed as well but I don't want to bore you with everything.

This project has really been a challenge. There is so much print info that working to get the pages so that they are interesting and appealing to look at as well as memorializing the information is something thst really needs to be worked at. So far I am happy with how the pages are turning out. I hope my sister will be as pleased. At this point I have three months completed and have 7 more to go plus some miscellaneous items. Definitely more work needs to be done.

I have made a few cards during this interval on no posting. I will get them up tomorrow.

We are now officially into Fall and so Thanksgiving cards are on my planning table. I know a lot of people do Halloween, but I don't so I get to skip that holiday. After Thanksgiving, oh my gosh, it will be right into Christmas.

Along with my stamping and quilting I have a new fun project I'm working on. I will have a photo of it soon.....SOCKS! I've been afraid of them for years, but they are so much fun. I am almost done with my frst one. And of course when you have one you MUST do it's mate!

SOME COLOR FUN!

So do you know how well you see color and distinguish between different hues? If you would like to find out here is a fun, though somewhat maddening test of how well you can line up hues as the go from one shade to another. Go to Test Your Color IQ through this link and see how you do. I was fairly pleased with my score of 16 out of 100. Have fun and let me know how you do.

NEW STYLE CARD

Here is another of the cards that I made when I got together with some stamping friends a couple of weekends ago. It may not be a new style card to some of you, but I have never seen one like it before. I think it is a really neat design and plan to use it in some of my own designs at some point in the future.

It is the normal A2 size card, 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 but the way it opens makes it very different. I need to sit down with a ruler and record the measurements needed for the cut card stock and patterned paper.

From looking at the closed card it is not immediately evident how the card opens and where the message would be written. There is actually a type of double door opening. The two butterflies on the left were stamped on white cardstock and cut out. They are attached with dimensionals and actually act as a closure for one of the door flaps which is the panel with the brown butterfly on it. This panel itself holds closed the second door flap which is the one with the green patterned paper on it. I don't know if my description makes any sence so the next photo is of the card opened.

The location for writing your message is the bottom half of the top closure. The one with the brown butterfly on it. I have never done a step by step tutorial before. This may be the card that actually gets me to take the time and photos of the process and do one.

I'm not making any promises, but if any card would get me to do so this will be the one. I really do like it and it is a fun card to make. One thing for sure is it won't happen this week though so don't hold your breath.

GREEN CRAFTING

So Just what is "green crafting"? I am reading about this more and more. I guess it goes along with the whole "green" life style which is growing in popularity.

Actually in crafting it really is nothing new. It's basically a form of altering items to use things that would normally be discarded. This goes along with the concept of recycle or reuse.

So what was my recycle/reuse craft this weekend. Well it revolved around these...........

I have mentioned in several posts quite a while back that I have stopped mounting my stamps and have unmounted others. This is being done to save space. I could just stop increasing my stamp collection, but that would be about as fun as not increasing my fabric stash is. Anyway this non and unmounting of stamp sets is causing quite a growing collection of wooden blocks. What to do?????? I could just throw them away, but that seems just plain wasteful. If we used our fireplace I could use them for fire wood, but we don't so I can't. I've thought of trying to sell them and may yet, but I am such a procrastinator about getting started on E-Bay. In the mean time I must do something with at least some of them. At least the ones sticky from unmounting sets.

Then I remebered in one of my BLOG hoping ventures I saw an idea for altering the blocks and creating photo and note holders. I wish I could link you back to the originator of this wonderful idea but I can't. I just don't remember which of the 50 or so BLOGs I visit the idea was on. If any one reading this knows please leave a comment for me.

The idea is to completely cover the block in designer paper, add some embellishments and them top it off with a binder clip set on its top. Here is what I came up with. They are very easy and quick to make. Especially since I run the paper strips through my xyron which complete covers the back of the paper with adhesive. The picture doesn't show it but the top and the bottom of the blocks are also covered with paper. I would think you could also paint the blocks, though since these were used ones with some sticky residue on them I'm not toaly sure they would paint evenly. I may just have to try that.

I attached the ribbon by first wrapping a strip of sticky strip around the very top of the block and then sticking the ribbon to it. I cover the seam with the embelishment.

For a nice coordinating touch I placed a little strip if paper on the clip and the clip is adhered to the top of the block with sticky strip tape.

For this first set of holders I did not do any stamping they are all altered simply with paper, ribbon and flowers. I used brads for the flower centers and the flowers are attached with pop-up dots from SU. Here is a view of the three different ones I have done so far. I've tried to show some different thingsthat can beheld in them. Also this first set is made with 2 inch blocks and pretty small binder clips. When I get some medium sized clips I will try some of my larger blocks. I think these could be nice gives or great for a craft fair. However I still need to come up with more ideas for my blocks. I really don't want a house full of photo holders...........

SUMMER IS OVER BUT NOT THE CRAFT KIT!

Two more cards using uo scraps from my Summer Craft Kit. I really like my crativeness with using scraps in this first card. It is on Night of Navy card stock. For one of my other crds I had punched out three squares. It wasn't intentional but I punched them out in a row with relatively even spacing between the punches. As I was going to throw away the strip from which I had mad the punches I was struck by how it looked somewhat like a film strip piece. Which got me to wondering if I could use it in a card design with something featured in each of the three punched out holes.

Well this is the card I came up with. Maybe not a perfectly designed card, but it certainly meets my grandmothers invoction of "waste not want not..."

The second card also makes use of scraps that were left from my use of the kit. I was able to punch out enough squared to come up with this design. I was also able to put to use a left over pearl embellishment and a bit of ribbon. Once again I used my awesome scalloped boarder punch. I really really don't know how I lived without this tool. IF you don't have one it is a must have!!!!!

So summer is now officially over. What will the fall bring? I guess we will wait and see. I am hoping more stamping, some scrapbooking and of course some sewing....what would life be without creative outlets and pursuits?