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Happy WOYWW #138!

A quick note to say that I do try to visit a bunch of fellow WOYWWers each week, but last week experienced a lot of Blogger comment issues.  Basically, I'd type in the security code and it would keep telling me I'd typed it wrong.  On one blog I tried about ten times, to no avail.  I'll comment where I can!

What's on my workdesk this week, you ask?  A Unity stamp set that I was gifted with this week, that I've taken out of its packaging, stripped that white paper backing off of, and am now going to repackage in smaller bags so it fits in my pricey stamp storage bucket ($2.50 at Target -- and I'm now thinking I should buy another one!)  I used to store my stamps in binders and I just never used them.  If they're out where I can grab them, I use them much more.  

I took the picture before bed last night, so no shots of my neighborhood this week. :)

 

This is a layout I made over the weekend using some of the Amy Tangerine papers I'd been hoarding.  

This journaling paper is from one of those Smash pads, which Michael's just began stocking (a whole year after they came out, but I shouldn't complain, right?)  I'm doing a pseudo-Project Life this year and this will be added to this week's page. 

 

Jump on over to Julia's blog to see her WOYWW post and the list of links to tons of creative folks!

 

WOYWW #137 | What's on your work table Wednesday

Happy Wednesday, everybody! To visit the blogs of other WOYWW participants, hop on over to Stamping Ground, where you'll find the link list. 

As you can see, our unseasonable weather patterns have become seasonal, and I'm looking out at snow instead of grass this week.  Not as much going on creatively this week.  Last night I tried making what looked like very simple paper flowers, as demonstrated by Kristina Werner in the Clean and Simple Cardmaking class, but mine would just not come out.  *pout*  So, I tossed my attempts and said, eh, maybe I'll try it another time. 

I made a tissue paper flower and wanted to put a bit of Diamond Stickles on it, but the bottle wouldn't cooperate with me.  Being grumpy already from the blasted flower attempts, I said, "Fine, I'm cutting off your top."  As it turned out, there was still some stuff in there, enough that I didn't want to toss it after smushing some on the little flower, so I grabbed things that I could glitter up for later use.  They look a bit gaudy, truth be told, but worst case scenario the flowers could be used on Christmas packages next year! 

This was a layout I made over the weekend.  The journaling spot says 10 Thing I Love About You on the top, so that became the theme of the page.  

Thanks for visiting!  

~ Laura

Five Clean and Simple cards

More cards inspired by the Clean and Simple Cardmaking class I'm participating in.

 

 

 

 

WOYWW #136 | What's on your work table Wednesday

Happy Wednesday, everyone!  I think this is my 4th WOYWW and I really enjoy seeing what everyone else is up to.  To check out others' spaces, visit Stamping Ground.


 I often deliberately set up "what's next" on the table so it's tempting and easy to jump in after work if my daughter and husband are doing their own puttering.  (I took this picture before work this morning because by the time I get home, it's dark.) The finished cards and layout are in other posts -- you can either click a link to the left (where recent posts are queued up) or click a thumbnail image to the right to find what looks interesting to you.

Thanks a bunch for visiting!!  I'll try to get around to as many folks as I can, too.

~ Laura

Three clean and simple cards

I'm feeling inspired by the latest class at Online Card Classes -- here are three cards I've made this week:

While there are things I would change about these if I could, I'm trying to see them as vehicles for learning new techniques.  :)

Thanks for visiting!

~ Laura

First Day of School layout

I'm so glad I scribbled down some "notes" when I talked to my daughter after the first day of school last fall.  We always document the day with pictures, but there's not usually a lot of "story" to record.  I used paper from October Afternoon's Sidewalks 8 x 8 pad and I think it matched the mood and colors in my pictures pretty well.  The button is from Papertrey Ink and the trimmed-out-and-Glossy-Accented pencils are from Cosmo Cricket's The Boyfriend line. 

Thanks for visiting.

~ Laura

Two cards

Happy Sunday, everyone, and thanks for visiting.  I'm enjoying seeing bits of sunshine today and puttering around in my den while hubby watches football and daughter plays with her toys.  

This is a card made with a bunch of scraps from my scrap bin. The plaid paper is from Basic Grey's Kioshi line and the green and cream geometric pattern is from My Mind's Eye's first Lush line.  The sentiment stamp is from Hero Arts Birthday messages set (CL 139).  The background of the card is stamped and clear embossed; the Zig Zag stamp is from Hero Arts' new 2012 releases (CG 422). 

The sentiment was stamped using Papertrey Ink's Birthday Basics set.  The background was stamped with Hero Arts Friendship Definition (CG 125) and Time to Stamp (CG 144) cling stamps, the second of which was embossed with white embossing powder.  The ribbon is American Crafts, the brad is Basic Grey, and I don't recall where the flower came from. It was embossed and colored with distress ink. The bling is from Prima.  

WOYWW #135 | What's on Your Workspace (or Work Desk) Wednesday

After a couple of weeks during the holidays where I did do stuff, but not necessarily on Wednesday, here my messy table and I are -- back again.  :)  To find out what this is all about or to find the linked list of other folks who are participating, go here.  I took my pictures Wednesday evening and am just getting a chance to post them now.

I actually like leaving things out, in progress -- it makes it easier to jump back in.  Well, except when it gets too messy (there seems to be a tipping point) and I need to neaten up to begin again. (Please note new MS snowflake punch and new Hero Arts bicycle stamp -- woo!)

This will be a scrapbook page when it grows up.  I've got some scribbled notes from the first day of school, some pictures, and some pencils cut from that Cosmo Cricket paper in The Boyfriend line of a few years ago.  Not sure what else I'll use, yet. 


This pile consists of punched scraps that I always think I'm going to use and rarely do.  I already made one card with them, and plan to make more before these are either added back to the scrap bowl or tossed.
 

I made the stamped part of this card while taking Jennifer McGuire's online class called Inspiration Showcase  It's been sitting around forlornly ever since, so I decided to make a birthday card with it.  I had just glued down the ribbon when I took this picture -- thankfully it dried clear, because it doesn't look lovely here!  I like "simple," but I think I need something else to complete this card -- maybe some bling near the sentiment or some buttons or brads next to the ribbon?  Can't decide.


And these are some cards destined for the mail -- two birthday cards and a thank you card.

Thanks for visiting! 

Birthday Tag & 2 Valentines

I signed up for the (free) Creative Jump Start Summit 2012 and Dina Wakely's video was what gave me the impetus to make this tag.  I pulled a bunch of scraps from my scrap bowl and adhered them to a discarded tag and now I have a gift tag for my husband's birthday. :)  [From the top down, the papers are: Tim Holtz, Basic Grey (Kioshi), Studio Calico, American Crafts cardstock, Studio Calico, American Crafts (Merrymint), and Imaginisce (Scooter's Vacation).  The brads and button are American Crafts and the sentiments are from Hero Arts (Birthday Messages; CL139)]

Next up are some Valentines!  What can I say -- Hero Arts' challenges for the month revolve around a particular color scheme and lovey-dovey cards. There are two pictures for each card, since the grey cardstock behind the scalloped edge didn't show when the card was standing up.   

The birds on both cards and the sentiment from the second are from "Hugs and Kisses Birds"(Hero Arts CG155).  The background pattern was stamped with the Flower Dot Pattern stamp (Hero Arts CG330.) The inks used were my trusty Jet Black Archival Ink (Ranger) and chalk ink (Tsukineko.) The edge punch is Apron Lace (Fiskars.) I die cut the bracket shapes with my (new -- woo hoo!) Nestabilities dies.