WOYWW #299

Welcome to WOYWW…the “What’s on Your Workdesk Wednesday”  blog hop created by Julia at the StampingGround,  so hop over there to join the fun.

Nothing to see here….move along….

Yup, there is the tape gun; that 501 refills later (no…really!! Ok, maybe 200)  I still need to break out the instructions to load.  And I wondered why HobbyLobby had the refills for half price; now I know...this baby has been refilled with general purpose tape, not the usual gold archival one.  /sigh.

There is the card I was using for the Compendium Challenge using the Dimensional Cutting pad, then sending to my Sister in Law for her birthday, but it seems blah, and after seeing with the curiosity crew did with their examples, I’m going to do a different one.  You can see the post here.

There are some card fronts I was paying with using a brayer and the old Kaleidoscope ink pads..still inky after easily 8 years of not using them.  I need to get them on the desk again...they are fun to use! And a few stamps that I really want to dig into and use on my journal..which hasn't

changed since last you saw it…I’m hoping tonight I’ll get some time in…hear that Muse?? Tonight….don’t let that cold chase you away!

  Now to see some desks with  hearty Muses, head off to Julia’s…Have a great week everyone!

CC3C #22: Dimensional Cutting Pad, Pg. 62

Welcome to another installment of the Compendium of Curiosities Challenge, Vol. 3, hosted by Linda at Studio L3.  This is the Twenty-Second challenge in where we work through the techniques of Tim Holtz from, you guessed it…his 3^rd Volume of the Compendium of Curiosities!!  As in the past challenges, we can’t give details on the challenge, so don’t ask, but do go get your own copy of Tim’s fabulous book.  Also, TheFunky Junkie Boutique has offered an extremely generous $25 Gift Certificate for all the even numbered weeks! So grab a copy, and join in to play!!  All the deets are here, at Linda’s blog!

I’ll admit: I've had the Dimensional Cutting Pad pretty much since Tim’s first video demo from Winter CHA 2013.  I thought it was fascinating!! A whole new set of possibilities! And then for reasons I can’t even begin to explain; never used it…until now. (And this is why these challenges are so important!)

So yes, I do have the tiny butterflies, and the tiny hearts, but I wanted to try it on something else; like the big layered Butterfly.  I probably should have gone back to look at the videos!  This takes planning…and this is a very large butterfly…takes up almost the whole card front…and I’m planning on using it for my Sister in Law’s Birthday…

First I cut and embossed the die on manila paper, then used a marbled stain background of Ripe Persimmon, Wild Honey and Antique Bronze. While I should have done that first, I was hoping to have the stains run into the lower areas; obviously that didn't happen. Duh.  Then I used Walnut Stain DI to hit the raised areas. And while not what I expected, I still like it…but now to get in the card.  I feel it still needs something; but there isn't much room, and it has to get mailed, so I’m gonna let it sit for a few more days while I decide.  Maybe the Glitter technique from last week in flourishes around the sides?  If it changes I’ll show its new view, but in the meantime I’m posting now, as it’s now or never for the rest of the week for me! 

So please go visit the Curiosity Crew’s sites…where they show you all those possibilities I imagined!

WOYWW #298

Welcome to WOYWW…the “What’s on Your Workdesk Wednesday”  blog hop created by Julia at the StampingGround,  so hop over there to join the fun.

First, thank you for all the great tips on holding my first class.  It went really well, and everyone (Ok, there were only 4…) had so much fun, we’ve created a Monthly Stamp Club! We need a name; We meet at the Berne Library, but for some reason the only thing I came up with was Berne Burnishers…totally stupid..so ‘come on…hit me with some suggestions! (we're also know as the Hilltowns...if that opens things up...)

  So, here is my desk; after putting away all the inks/supplies I carted to class, I thought I should give another journal page a go.  My new Stencil Girl Stencils had arrived the week before, with the Corrugated one just itching to be used. First I hit the page with Distress Tea Dye inks and a brayer.  Then I mixed some Walnut Stain Distress Paint with some Golden Molding paste, to get a cardboardy look, then spread it through the stencil.  And then I had to wait it had to dry..which is why there are a few stamps stacked on the left, holding the page open.  With luck I’ll finish it tomorrow. I promise you’ll see the finished page next week! And of course, the inks I was trying for the page are back out.  Yeesh!   And there are the Hershey’s Miniatures I brought to class, actually a few left! (well, not for much longer…probably gone tomorrow)

Now I’ll try to visit a few desks today. I swear, once we get broadband up the hill, you’ll wonder when I’ll stop! LOL! In the meantime, I do what I can.  Have a great week everyone!

The Scary First Art Journal Page

I will admit I am fascinated with art journals; I can lose myself on Pinterest and YouTube on other peoples journals, so last year (or so…maybe 2?) I bought Dyan Reavely’s Dylusion’s Journal…when she only had the large

one…I do love the feel of the paper in there! 

And then I discovered Gelli Plate printing, so it was easy to hide the journal under all the prints I made…and then it was holiday card time..yada yada…   It’s very easy for me to justify excuses (purchases, eating things… I’m a justifier! LOL!)  when the truth is; that blank journal is scary!

It’s…clean….big…..I don’t want to screw it up….and do you need a “theme”, pour out your inner secrets, have to hand write (cause my handwriting is terrible!) what are the rules, specifically? 

And as it seems there are none (rules) and you don’t have too (the secrets) and you just can’t (screw it up) I finally pulled on my big girl panties (well, ok, bigger girl panties) and started my first page…

And found that stamping a clean image will take practice, and had a war with myself not to tear out the page as the bird is blurry…but will suck up the imperfection and move on into my creative expansion that an art journal will show…

Funny how the next page is also still big and clean and scary….but I started!

WOYWW #297

Welcome to WOYWW…the “What’s on Your Workdesk Wednesday”  blog hop created by Julia at the StampingGround, so hop over there to join the fun.

So, here is my desk; I spent the weekend furiously creating kits for my first stamp class, and then, when cleaning up, I decided it was now or never…open up that scary journal and get crackin’!

So, you see the closed journal; some various inks not put away, that cool seed-feather stamp I haven’t played with yet, tools and washi tape also still not put away…Oh.. the inked square hanging by the marker in the carousel was a mask for a cool card I want to re-work…

And, since I haven’t posted my journal post yet, I’ll give you a sneak peek…I feel it still needs some depth, and I have to learn how to get a good stamp impression, as both the bird and saying didn’t come out so well; but the main goal was to get started, so there it is…

So now off with you to Julia’s: go see some normal work spaces! LOL!  Have a great week everyone!

CC3C #21: Rock Candy Distress Glitter, Pg. 63

Welcome to another installment of the Compendium of Curiosities Challenge, Vol. 3, hosted by Linda at Studio L3.  This is the Twenty-first challenge in where we work through the techniques of Tim Holtz from, you guessed it…his 3^rd Volume of the Compendium of Curiosities!!  As in the past challenges, we can’t give details on the challenge, so don’t ask, but do go get your own copy of Tim’s fabulous book.  Also, InspirationEmporium has offered an extremely generous $50 Gift Certificate for all the odd numbered Challenges! So grab a copy, and join in to play!!  All the deets are here, at Linda’s blog!

So…glitter…my nemesis….amazing how that stuff gets everywhere!! But if you’re going to play with glitter, the Distress Glitter does seem to be the way to go; and yes, I do have the large jar of the Rock Candy glitter..(mostly because my Rock Candy Stickles always run glitterless…)

I was actually a good dooby, and actually read the instructions all the way through..twice…while trying to figure where I would go with this…and ended up with a grandiose Valentines Card that I thought I could double for my Husband, as well as being a project for the first stamp class I’m teaching on Valentine’s day.  I neglected to take pictures…it involved red stains, the Curio Die, and an awesome brush-stroked heart.  And it was an Epic Fail…and sorry..no pictures.

And then while playing around with other Valentine’s thought for the class, I thought red lips on the bottom would be cute…and was originally going to make them shiny embossed red, when Yippie, I thought, use the glitter!  So here it is!  The Festive Berries ink did hold quite a bit of the sticky powder, but I did have to go back in with an embossing pen to touch a few spots…possible with the Distress Glitter, as you can heat it. 

So, as this is not the best example of this use of distress glitter,  go visit the Curiosity Crew’s sites…where you can see some stunning examples of this technique! Happy Crafting everyone...

WOYWW #296

Welcome to WOYWW…the “What’s on Your Workdesk Wednesday”  blog hop created by Julia at the StampingGround,  so hop over there to join the fun.

Hmmmm,,you are looking at a desk that reflects my stalemate over what type of card should we make for the embossing portion of my first stamp class…my pondering of where the h*ll is that pack of glossy paper that used to be the first pack I grabbed when I didn’t want it…obviously finally put away somewhere safe;  and my sudden cat-like shift of attention to the truly necessary application of labels with the ink blots onto my Distress Paints.  (this of course preceded by a frantic search for my 5/8^th inch circle stamp, used only for this purpose). This picture was taken mid-project, when I noticed my phone battery was dying, while in the middle of a truly evil game called Trivia Crack…and it is; and you can challenge me from my Facebook profile, Kim McGrath Young…just sayin’

So, an hour later, the paints are indexed and put away, I was still without an embossing project, and I’m jonesing for the next round of trivia crack. Yup! A perfect use of a free Tuesday afternoon after a dentist appointment--Not! 

So now off with you to Julia’s: go see some normal work spaces! LOL!  Have a great week everyone!