Lens

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 130 (WOYWW)

Well, I'm getting this posted just under the wire to have it up on Wednesday!  To play along, or check out others' workspaces, go here.

Here's my work table with some Christmas tags in progress.  I used Tim Holtz patterned papers (adhered to kraft cardstock for sturdiness) for the base, did some stamping/embossing with Versamark and red glitter embossing powder, and made little charms using fragments, more of the patterned paper, Glossy Accents to adhere, and gold Stickles for the edges.  At this point, I need to adhere one piece of pp to the front of a tag, punch holes in two of the tags, and then attach all the charms.

And here they are finished, later in the evening:

My December Daily plans

I am going super simple and super inexpensive with my December Daily scrapbooking this year.  I was tempted to buy a new album or some new papers and embellishments, but managed to resist.  I figure I probably saved $30-40 at least by just using things I already had on hand.  

The red American Crafts album I used last year should accommodate this year's pages because I decided to use 12x12 photo page protectors to house a journaling card, a picture, and a piece of patterned paper for each day, 12/1-12/25.  I can fit four days in one page protector. Then, if I want to add in an extra page or two at the end, either just pictures or a layout, there should be room.  

I had the journaling cards printed out (they are Ali Edwards dated photo overlays -- available at Designer Digitals), so Sunday afternoon I cut all of them to size, along with pieces of American Crafts Merrymint paper from 2009.  I'm not really into the whimsical papers anymore, but this is a good way to use them up.  I had two pieces of patterned paper left over from last year's Father Christmas collection from Pink Paislee ["Special Delivery" and "Air Mail"],  so I am using them back-to-back as the title page to this year's section of the album.  

Here is day one and day two, ready for a story and a photo.  I'm going to try to do the journaling each day and get the photos printed up regularly so I can see the project taking shape.  Anyone else doing December Daily this year?

WOYWW | What's on Your Workspace (or Workdesk) Wednesday

As a perusal of some recent posts will show, I've been using up some K & Company Flora & Fauna papers to make cards for Christmas gifts.  That's what's in the white bins on the table.  (The bins come in a packaged food item my husband likes and they are perfect for temporarily holding stamps to be cleaned (or put away) or for a paint tray, etc.)  I wanted to take a picture of a card before I left for work this morning, because the only time I get a tiny bit of light in the room is in the morning. Like my fancy "photo studio" -- a/k/a a piece of white card stock propped on the table?  :)  (The card in question is in this post.  Created beginning when I should have been going to sleep -- does that happen to anyone else?  I get more motivation at bedtime than practically any other time!) 

If you want to show your glorious (or not so glorious) workspace, join in here.

Hero Arts + botanical theme cards

These are more of the cards that I'll gift at Christmastime. I recently took Jennifer McGuire's Inspiration Showcase card class and that's where the inspiration for these floral images came from.  The first one was stamped with Versamark onto watercolor paper, embossed with Zing embossing powder, then "painted" with Peeled Paint and Spun Sugar distress stains, then misted with Perfect Pearls mist.

The background paper is from K & Company Brenda Walton Flora & Fauna -- the small paper pad from that line is really useful for cards.  The sentiment is Papertrey Ink, stamped with Ranger Jet Black Archival ink.

The stamped focal point of this card was stamped with Versamark onto a piece of Basic Grey Kioshi patterned paper and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  Then Faded Jeans distress ink was added.  I dotted Peeled Paint distress stickles in the flower centers.  The ribbon is American Crafts, the pale green paper is also from Kioshi.  The neutral paper scraps are from the aforementioned K & Company line, and the sentiment is Papertrey Ink, from Everyday Button Bits.  The flower is Hero Arts and the pearl is Recollections. 

Lots and lots of peacocks

I got a new stamp a few weeks ago (Hero Arts Peacock cling stamp; CG184) and then I used it over and over again.  See below.  :-)  I'm going to be lazy and not type more details about the supplies, but if you have a specific question, don't hesitate to ask in the comments and I'll get back to you!

Birthday card & new technique

I love this patterned paper -- it is from the Basic Grey Kioshi 6x6 pad.  The flower was stamped on watercolor paper, embossed with White Zing embossing powder, then I used Spun Sugar Distress Stain to color it.  Then I sprayed (a little bit too much) Perfect Pearls mist over it and cut it out.  The stamp is Hero Arts "Classic Bloom."  I made the leaves by using Peeled Paint Distress Stain on plain card stock, then punching circles, and punching a bit of the circle out of that to make a leaf shape.  Then I used a bone folder to score some "veins" in the leaf.  The flower just needed a little something, you know?  

Botanical-theme cards

The last year or two, I've given my mother-in-law and my Mom a gift of cards for Christmas and/or a birthday.  This year, for Christmas, I'm hoping to make enough to give to them and to my sister-in-law.  I fell in love with the K & Company line called Brenda Walton Flora & Fauna (I don't recall if it came out late in 2010 or early 2011), but haven't come close to using up what I'd purchased.  I thought I'd use some to make cards.

This card also features a little background stamping with a Tim Holtz butterfly stamp and a Hero Arts floral stamp; the right edge has a piece of Tim Holtz tissue tape that was darkened with Vintage Photo distress stain.

This one is completely K & Company, except for the Heidi Swapp tape on the right side of the card.  

The background papers are K & Company.  The focal point features Hero Arts Friendship Definition stamp and Flower Medley stamp; both were stamped on glossy card stock.  

Little girl in the leaves minibook

Every year I have tried to remember to take a picture of my daughter in the fall leaves from our maple tree.  I was going to make regular layouts but there really isn't a story to tell other than that it's our tradition!  So, I made a simple (handmade as you can tell) minibook and I really like that all these pictures are now together.  Gave me a good excuse to finally buy a Crop-a-dile Big Bite II (with a coupon!)  

The paper is October Afternoon (Fly a Kite: Dandelions), the small letters are My Mind's Eye (Lime Twist: Fly a Kite Genuine Alphabet), the Thickers are from the American Crafts Amy Tangerine line (love them), and I think the journaling card is also My Mind's Eye (I'll check!) the journaling card is from Fancy Pants (Lilac House.)

Halloween bookmarks

I had one more burst of enthusiasm for Halloween crafting and decided to make Halloween bookmarks to go in little sandwich bags with the candy.  Gabi helped me make the black ones -- it was hard to get a two person rhythm going where the Versamark didn't dry before I could emboss it -- but it was fun anyway. Then she went outside to play and I made the ones stamped on white.  The stamps are Tim Holtz and the inks are Distress inks: Spiced Marmalade, Peeled Paint, and Dusty Concord.