WOYWW

My desk is not much different from last week except it has been cleaned up, dirtied up, and is now in the throes of getting messed up again.  Check out Stamping Ground and Julia will give you the deets about the WOYWW!  

This time I am making a monochromatic journal page for a group I belong to and I seem to be stuck as to where I go next!!!

It is hard to see the stars on the top half of the page but I used Dylusions in and then coarse modeling paste with a stencil.  I love the way the paste picks up the color of the Dylusions inks when used over the top of the ink.  Now I need to figure out what to do with the rest of the page and stay monochromatic.... any ideas?

Last week was my birthday and DH took me out to supper and to see a movie...RED2...loved it.  I really liked Red with Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker, and this time they added in Catherine Zeta Jones and Antony Hopkins.  DS is in boot camp...sort of for officers training to become a Warrant Officer so I didn't hear from him but DDIL called and wished me a happy day. DD is out of town in Pennsylvania at a medieval reenactment encampment so it was a quiet day but fun day.  DD did send these flowers...so pretty and she knows I love purple!  I taught a class at the scrapbook store and had a good time. 

For those of you interested in what the baby book looked like finished here are some pictures of the book. Graphic 45 Little Darlings papers, 6x6 BoBunny chipboard book. 

The babes name is Daniel Thomas Dawson III or v 3.0

I needed some place to put the birth information and when I typed it up and it came out looking like an angel I just added and played with it!  Pages with spots to enter 'firsts' etc in the pocket

This page has a place for a large photo

several mats to hold 3.5 x5 " pictures.  All the mats in this book are approx that size or smaller

More photos

I loved this color and print hope Mom and Dad don't mind the organgy pink in a boys baby book.

Last pages have a cabinet card style photo mat.  I really like the way it turned out!

The doors open!

Okay that is it for me I am off to skip around the blogs.  Have a great week! 

art journal

Just finished another art journal page tonight with the class using Farm House Papers.   They are from their new line 302 and I thought that I would share.  I can't remember the name of the papers individually but it was fun cutting, tearing and pasting them on a black gesso page...I know!  Another black gesso page.  Well, I think I am getting over the fear of using black gesso!

 I need to figure out how to gesso between the binder rings without getting it oozed down on the pages before and after.   After priming the page with the black gesso I used a punch and punched out the circles so I could use them as a stencil on this layout.  I then used coarse grit modeling paste and made the polka dots on the page.  Love the different cards, bookmarks, bits and pieces of memorabilia this line has!   Chipboard bits finished it up and I think I like it.  Farm House is an Oklahoma owned company out of Tahlequah, Oklahoma and they create awesome vintage papers.  Don't you just love the blue telephone...princess phone I believe they were called.  In my first apartment I had a phone just like that! 

WOYWW

Happy Wednesday!  I remembered this week and hopefully won't be last in line again. Go visit Julia at Stamping Ground and come play with us hoping from blog to blog around the world sharing our desks and projects we are working on!

My desk this week is a mess but I am in the middle of making something for a young friend who just had her first baby last week. I had a left over 8"x8" pad of Graphic 45 Little Darlings paper and some chipboard bits so I thought that I would make her a baby book she could take to work to show her new baby off when she goes back.

I don't have a lot done...pages covered with paper, front of book laid out and partially glued down and a start on the first page or two.  I think I will make some pockets so she can mat up more then one picture on a page. 

I was rather surprised to find that most of this paper pad was blue and orangey pink so I think I will be forgiven for using those colors together.  Here is a picture of the new guy take by my husband...I am holding him but he doesn't look at all happy with it does he?  Robyn found out she was pregnant with little Danny at the same time Will and Kate found out they were expecting so we have all been following the royal pregnancy and waiting to find out what they had...boys must be in the stars this week cause last week 2 friends became Grandma's to little girls!

Here is the proud Mom and Dad...btw baby boy is III in the Daniel line and when parents wanted to put version 3.0 on the birth certificate rather then III they were told  it wasn't funny and couldn't be done...

So sweet!  T-shirt says Storm Chaser in training!  Dan and Robyn are both PhD meteorologists at the University of Oklahoma!

Well that is it for me so I will sign off and head back to the craftroom.  I am busy finishing up a few more of the ATC to mail out and hopefully all will be done this time next week.  I apologize but this summer has been amazing as far as getting things done in a timely manner!

October Calendar

Another page bites the dust!...Doesn't this look like a fun calendar page!

Should I tell you I screwed up on this page?  Sure why not I will even show you the screwed up picture I took!  I got the page finished and asked a friend if she could see anything wrong with the page...did it look too linear, was it off angled somehow and even Kim couldn't see what I had done wrong...the page looks great by itself but it isn't a calendar!  Yes!  I had forgotten the calendar and it was while I was photographing the page I came to that realization.   How could you forget the calendar on a calendar page?  Leave it to me!  Then the light came on and I realized...

 OMG!  glue was dry and I had messed up big time, what to do, what to do!!!  So I tore up as much as I could without totally destroying the page and voila the new page!

 

What do you think?  Not too bad and I like it better!  Two more months to go!

September Calendar

I finished the September page of the Graphic 45 Place in Time calendar...
I am going to be really sad when I get all the way through December and don't have any more calendar pages to do because I have had a tremendous fun making these pages and seeing how each one turns out.  Even though they have begun to look and awful lot a like to me in someways each one has taken on their own personality!  Doesn't the little girl swinging look like she is going to take advantage of summer as long as she can and that little red school house brings back memories!

 I didn't add anything new or special to this page and everything on it was from the layout, cut apart pages, and the chipboard embellishment sheet.  Graphic 45 did an awesome job, in my humble opinion, with the design of these papers.

Now on to the garden...Yesterday when I woke up Chuck had already been outside hard at work harvesting what was available to harvest in the garden...WOW!  I think a bountiful harvest too considering the size of the 'corn field'...4 rows about 5 feet long and there is still a few left to be harvested.  The tomatoes are just starting to come in and I am really looking forward to it cause they are so yummy!

Okay off to the craft room to see what I can get up to today.  I have a young friend that just had a baby boy and doesn't have anything to document it in so I think I might whip up a chipboard book and run over to her house and do a foot print for her with my ink pad...ink is not toxic is it?

Recipe Cards

I have an ongoing recipe cards class at the store, Scrap That here in Norman and even when I try to shut it down the students get upset with me and I do another class.   Here is what we are going to do on August 8th. 

I am starting to use the back sides of the recipe cards we are using and I am going to divide them into sweets or desserts, veggies,  soups and sandwiches, beverages, and main meals.  I found the binder is already starting to get full with just the fronts done so it may mean dividing them up and moving into a second binder...I can see a trend setting in but I have 6 gals that love the recipe cards and can't see upsetting them any...after all they bring me margaritas and snacks!

If you would like to take the class on August 8 call Scrap That at 310-3400 and sign up.  Remember a basic kit is needed for this class.  Paper cutter, glue runner, glue, pop dots, foam pop dots, distressing ink pad, distressor, white gel pen and anything else you care to bring.

I think I have something going here...

After I had a chance to get used to the French Country Market journal pages I decided I liked it and I thought I would try to do it again but a little different this time.  Here's what happened!

Steampunk Spells Graphic 45

Viola!!  Black gesso, Graphic 45 Steampunk Spells, and a few stencils gave me an evening of a lot of fun.  I have decided I really do like fussy cutting and collages and it gives me a feeling of accomplishment to turn out something like this.  I have also decided I am going to offer the two journal layouts in classes for my students at the shop because they are fairly easy peasy and maybe it will interest them in journaling!

How was it made?  Black gesso went on first then using some stencils I used white paint and had fun with various stencils.  I let the background dry and then did some therapeutic tearing of some of the larger pieces and glued them down with Glue and Seal (maybe use Mod Podge? certainly a lot cheaper).  Next I fussy cut all the other bits and glued them down.  I added a few embellishments and couldn't find anything else I wanted to add.

I think this will make a great class in September or October for Halloween!  What do you think?

What do you get when...

What do you get when you use black gesso in your art journal?  Well.....I realized I didn't know what I was up to after I painted the page with gesso so I decided I would try this....

I first used a stencil and white paint and made a white on black cursive writing that you  can see behind the various bits.  Unfortunately after the cat jumped up and walked across it parts were smeared so I had to come up with something to cover the most smeared parts!  Yes they are going to have to learn new habits if they are going to be allowed in the room while I am crafting.   
Next I used coarse modeling paste and mixed brown paint in and used a harlequin stencil and made the stencil pattern on the top of the pages.  I decided I needed something other and darker then the harlequin on the bottom so I did the bricks on the lower right I took a break and when I came back I didn't like the black and brick but it was already dry and decided to try something different on the left.  I frosted a layer of the modeling paste on the page let it dry a minute then laid the stencil over the top and put a layer of the lighter modeling paste on top...I like that better!  I don't know how you do it but I always work right page first then move on to the left and it sometimes looks like there is a gigantic learning curve going on between the two!  After all was dry I did some fussy cutting of a couple sheets of Graphic 45 French Country Market paper and glued them down with Glue and Seal (suppose you could use Mod Podge) then added a few embellies and called it done.

I haven't been feeling well or in a really creative mood of late so haven't been doing a lot of anything but I have decided I am going to do something artsy fartsy every day and this is my lot for today.  Hope you like it!

WOYWW #215

Is anyone having problems with keeping track of days since Google took away the Google Reader?  I am not going to say I have that problem but I have definitely having deficits because of it.  :-)  I didn't post last week on WOYWW because of missing the whole Wednesday somehow...I woke up and it was Friday!  How does that happen?  DH was in Austria and DD was busy getting ready for a Medieval reenactment encampment in Pennsylvania and being left on my own time flew past and left me rather dazed.  Outside of a couple meetings I stayed home in comfy clothes...okay night gown and did next to nothing.  I realized about 20 minutes ago I have almost missed this Wednesday also!!  So without further ado....

Welcome to WOYWW #215 on Wednesday afternoon 4:06 pm Okie time!!!  What is WOYWW and why do I keep rambling on about it?  Well Julia will give you the deets if you go to her blog Stamping Ground.  Want to play along?  Take a picture of your desk, write a post and link it on Julia's blog.  Leave me a message if you do so I can go see it!

Here is a picture of my desk last night...I did remember last night but got sidetracked!

 As you can see it doesn't look like much has been going on!  I did get some calendar pages made for my class and some tags for another class if you would like to see them click on the links. 

My desk right now.  Decided to try black gesso in my art journal and see what I can make with it.  I am not promising much but thought I would give it a try with some stencils and molding paste and collage some of the Graphic 45 French Marketplace images on it.  I will post a picture if it works out.

How is my garden growing some have asked about the beds I showed in this post so I thought I would share a couple pictures!   Sorry for the haziness but as Deeyll will attest the weather this July is different then any we have had in recent years.  Last year this time we were in a run of greater then 100f (38c) degree days and no rain and high temperatures that made you miserable.  The reservoirs got 6-8 feet below levels that continued until in February we were 12 feet below.  Then there was a change...lots of rain and cooler temps...I am happy with it.

CORN!  We have already had one meal off the ones in the back and hopefully will be harvesting for the freezer soon.

Tall things are sunflowers...about 10-11 feet tall starting to put on flower heads.  Enough to feed a bunch of our birds around here this next year.  Tomatoes, beans, and as you can see the squash has been taken over by beetles. 

Planter box and hanging baskets on the patio!

Well that's it for me I am off to see if that gesso is dry enough to play with.  I am planning on making it around to every one's desk this week but it may take all week to do so...  Everything is taking me longer to do now days.  Off to make a cup of coffee and see what the first few are up to!

July Tags class

As promised here is the information about the second class I will be teaching this week.  The July Tag class will be on Thursday July 18th from 6-8 pm at Scrap That
526 Main Street.  Call the store at 405-310-3400 to reserve your seat.

I decided I liked steampunk this week I guess because that is what all three tags turned out looking like.  The middle and right side tag is my take on two of the Tim Holtz 12 tags of 2013.  I really enjoy making these tags and hope the students will too!

Make sure to bring your basic kit with cutter, scissors, glue, glue runner, Distress Inks, etc. 

Place in Time Calendar Class

I will be teaching a couple classes this week. The July "Place in TIme" calendar class is this next Thursday July 18th from 1-4 pm at ScrapThat Norman 526 W. Main St. Call 405-310-3400 to reserve your seats. Terri just got in another lot of the Place in Time paper collection in including the chipboard and sticker sheets for the class. This is a new start for the calendar and will run 6 months starting with July and August and we will finish up in December with January and February. This is a perpetual calendar or you can use it as a scrapbook page if you want to or change out the calendars each year.

 

WOYWW #213

It has been a hectic and busy summer so far around our house and it doesn't show any letting up in the near future either. DH and I got home from our storm chase vacation and found all sorts of things to do to keep us busy for the rest of the summer but...well I just never seem to get caught up.  The car is back in the garage having the same issues that it was having in May when I put out $4300 to  get it fixed.  I am hoping it doesn't take them 3 weeks this time to get it repaired and that it will stay repaired this time.

Thought I would share a picture of DH and the award he received on his trip to Helsinki the beginning of June.  Chuck is a research scientist...a severe storms meteorologist and has been working with a group from the European Severe Storms Lab for about 10 years now to get a system set up similar to what we have here in the US.  Actually better!!!   Chuck worked closely with Nikolai Dotzek, a friend of his who was the head of the lab, advising and teaching at seminars etc in Germany.  Unfortunately Nikolai passed away about 3 years ago from a heart attack at a young age leaving two young children and a wife. This award is honoring his commitment to the ESSL and the scientists who are leaders in the field. Chuck is the second recipient of the award and is so proud to have received it.  

it is hard to see but the award/trophy is actually a replica of a giant hail stone.

I don't have any pictures again of the desk or room as I haven't been doing any crafting of any sort and all the fun goodies I bought at the scrapbook convention are sitting gathering dust!  Speaking of the room of doom...it looks like an absolute pit and to borrow a biblical quotation "looks like it has been fruitful and multiplied" while I haven't been working.  The horizontal surfaces are all covered with this and that bits and to go in there and do anything I really will have to get in there to clean, pick up and put away!  It is nice to have a lot of fun stuff but if you don't keep up with it and God knows I am a procrastinator it becomes overwhelming.   I  have to apologize for the not having sent the ATC yet...thought I had sent a few out but...they are sitting in the room waiting final touch up.  I promise to have them out before Christmas or send a Christmas card with them.  Sorry!

I hope to be able to post some picture of the garden tomorrow so stay tuned!  Have a great week and hope all my American friends have a happy and safe 4th of July!