100 posts, I CRACK myself up!

LOL I had to come up with something clever for the title of my 100th post! Can you believe it? Boy do I talk alot! LOL So, in honor of my 100th post, I have been cooking up another contest. What I'm going to do yet, I don't know but I will have more details later this week. In the meantime, why does 100 posts CRACK me up? Well, it doesn't really, just thought it would be a clever title to tie in my 100th post with today's technique. I know, I know, I need to get out more. *wink* So, today is the 22nd week for the technique challenge, what did I choose for you?



One that I absolutely love to do, but rarely get around to. CRACKed glass! (does the CRACK myself up part make sense now?) I'm making myself roll my eyes, can't imagine how all of you are going to get through this post. LOL O.k. so, on to business, Here is how you do cracked glass:



First, you want to stamp your image on your cardstock, then you will color it as desired. Next, apply versamark over the entire piece of cardstock. Next sprinkle your Glassy Glaze or UTEE over the piece. If you don't have Glassy Glaze or other UTEE, use crystal clear embossing powder. Cover entire image and tap off excess powder. Heat the powder with your heat gun until melted. while it is still hot, add another layer of the Glassy Glaze or UTEE and heat again. If you are using the Glassy Glaze or UTEE you will want to do this 3 or so times, if you are using regular embossing powder you will need to do this step around 6 times. (If at any time the previous layer is cooled before you can get the next layer on, it's o.k. either reheat it or add more versamark -this is what I do) once you have enough layers and you have a completely smooth surface put your piece in the freezer for a minute or two. Afterwards take your cardstock out and carefully bend the cardstock in various directions. Your piece should now crack. Once you get the look you want, finish your card as desired.



I had someone ask me how I keep my CS from rolling up when I heat emboss it, here is my answer: I use a pair of Bamboo tongs to hold onto the CS. I always leave an extra little bit on at the end that I don't have the EP on so that I have that to hook the Bamboo tongs onto (keeps my fingers from burning) and then I am constantly moving the heat gun around. The moving helps the CS not to curl as well. A little curling will happen, I'm not sure there is anything that can help that but all of what I posted above does help cut down on the curling.



I hope that makes sense to all of you.



Here is my sample:

My sweet friend Jenn let me come over one day (since all my stuff was packed) and let me use her stamp stuff to create this fun card. I'm sorry about the darkness of the picture. My scanner doesn't seem to work on my new computer so I had to take a picture but since the flash always glares on the "glass" I just turned the flash off so it turned out a little dark. But I promise, this is so pretty IRL.

I do remember how to stamp!

I told you I would spend today stamping! O.k. so I didn't spend the whole day, just a few hours. But here are my results. First of all, for the last couple of days I have been helping a friend make some annoucements for her upcoming sealing (wedding). Here are our end results. Most of it was my idea but it was her idea to do the ribbon weaving on the top which I think is the best part!

I used heartfelt thanks on WW cardstock in Pale Plum ink for the main part and then perfect plum ink for the the outline, then use Mellow Moss ink for the center of the flower. Then I used stickles on the center to give it some pop. Mounted all this onto Pale Plum Cardstock and then Amber (my friend) got some really pretty ribbon that was very close to pale plum in color. She printed her info onto Vellum and we layered that on the rest of the card. We punched holes using the rectangular handheld punch on the top (6 holes in all) and then we weaved the ribbon through, attached each side to the back and added a bow. They are so stunning IRL. Here is a pic of under the vellum.

I also stamped, like I said, my DH's anniversary card. It will get to him a few days after our actual Anniversary though. Anyhow, we are going on 6 years and our wedding colors were purple and green.

For this card I used the Lion from a set from TAC (I can't remember the name). I used the flowers from that set and stamped them in versamark ink on Pale Plum cardstock. Then I wanted them to stand out a little more so I brushed Pale Plum chalks over it to make them stand out more. Then I divided the top and bottom with white grosgrain ribbon. I then stamped my Lion in Staz-On black in and watercolored the Lion using watercolor crayons and an aquapainter. Then I went to attach the image and decided it needed something else. So I remembered a card I had gotten recently in a swap that had photo corner type things under one layer. It set it off so nicely. So I added Mellow Moss pieces to the corner. Then I stamped Happy Anniversary from the hugs and wishes set (SU) on the bottom right corner and decided it needed pop so I added stickles to the middle of the flowers. On the inside I stamped "I wouldn't mind being lonely if you were here to keep me company." from the In My Thoughts set from SU.

Next I stamped cards for a few ladies in my church. I wanted to use my new In Colors cardstock from SU. I used Groovy Guava for the base. Then I took a layer of Blue Bayou and stamped the flowers from Loads of Love on it using Versamark. Then I added the white grosgrain ribbon to the BB layer. Then I punched my Very Vanilla using the Tab Punch and added it to the right hand bottom corner of the BB cardstock. Added brads and stamped just a note from All Year Cheer 3. I then added all of this to the card base. I stamped the truck and the flowers in the back of the truck using staz-on and then watercolored them using watercolor crayons and an aquapainter. Then added this under the ribbon. And there you have it! Done!

I'm quite pleased with my attempts today. Nice to know I haven't completely lost my mojo!

Progression

Well, I am about 3/4 of the way unpacked. O.k. that may be stretching it just slightly, but it's somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4. I stamped a little yesterday. I had to unpack my stamp stuff because a friend and customer came over and asked me for some help with some announcements she is doing. I will post pics of the sample we came up with later. I'm thinking tomorrow will be a day of unpacking again and then this weekend, I plan to spend at least a few hours stamping. I have kind of lost the desire to stamp lately. It's been over 6 weeks now since I packed my stamp stuff at my old house. I decided today, that I just need to hop back to it. So I'm not promising my work this weekend will be any good, but I will have something to show you. I have to prove that I haven't forgotten how to stamp after all. LOL

Rockin'!

So I was scrolling down my blog this morning (putting off unpacking... LOL) When I came across a comment I didn't know was there from like a week ago. ( I know, preceptive aren't I?) My sweet friend Dorinda tagged me as a Rockin' Girl Blogger!






Now I need to tag 5 others! So, I tag...


Toni over at Stampin Diva
Belinda over at Belinda's Stampin Space
Anne over at Storm's Cellar
Jenn over at Jenn's Stamping Corner
Patti over at Pat Creates

Technique time!

This is the card that I kept bumping from my weekly techniques. I do have another card froma different technique ready but not alot of time so I figured this one was easy and quick to explain so here we go!



This week's technique is Watercolor Spritzing.



For this you will need: Watercolor Paper, Stamps, Ink, Waterbottle (spritzing kind) (all products except waterbottle are Stampin Up!)



So for this oh so pretty (if I do say so myself) 3x3 card, I started out with my watercolor paper. First I took the cherry blossom looking stamp from Garden Sillouhettes and stamped it onto the WC Paper using Rose Red Classic Ink. Then I took my waterbottle and holding the paper at an angle I spritzed the paper. (I found the best results with holding the bottle at about 8 or so inches from the paper). The ink ran just slightly giving me the misty look I wanted. Then I layered my WC Paper onto the Rose Red CS and added some Black Gingham ribbon. Then I added it all to my Basic Black 3x3 base. I stamped the word lovely in the lower right hand corner using White Craft ink.

Tah Dah! I wish you could see in person how stinkin cute this card is. *sigh* Well, back to unpacking. Bah, who am I kidding, I'm gonna go read the new Harry Potter book again. It's awesome!

Getting Settled

well, the move last week went o.k. On Tuesday a friend came over in the morning to help pack up the rest of the odds and ends. She brought her three kids whom we had load some things in my van and her H3. Things like clothes and breakables and such. Then we brought them over to my new place and the helped me bring everything inside. After I gave them a tour of the new place of course. Tuesday afternoon I went and picked up my UHaul. Another friend took me to go get it since I couldn't drive my van and the UHual. I may be talented, but not that talented. ROFL! I got there and realized I may need proof of insurance to get back on the military post. So I gave my keys to my sweet friend and she went to go get the proof of insurance while I drove to the gate I needed to be to in order to get in. She would meet me there. I got there only to discover that that gate was closed and I had to go to different gate. So I tried twice to call my friend. Couldn't get a hold of her. Figured she would see the sign saying the gate was closed and she would meet me at the gate I had to go to now. So I get to the other gate, try to call her again, no answer. I go inside to get my pass allowing me on post and find out I don't need the proof of insurance. So I try to call my friend again. No answer. So I decide I can't wait because there people at my house waiting to load the truck. So I get to my house only to realize, shoot! She has my keys, all my keys, including my house key for both houses. Crud! What was I going to do! I tried to call her again. No answer. (She forgot to take her cell with her) So I have one of the people who is there to help move things take me over to the housing office. It will be open for one more hour. So I go to the housing office and thankfully they have a spare key. So I was able to let everyone in to load the truck. About 10 minutes late my friend gets there and apologizes and so did I. 4 people were there to help load the truck. It was smaller because that was all they had so we had to make two trips but we got it done. Then on Wednesday, another sweet friend sent her kids over to help me paint. We are aloud to paint our rooms any color we want but we have to cover them over with a nuetral color before we leave so they were there to help me do that. Then on Thursday some ladies from my church came over and helped me clean. We had our final inspection to sign out of the old quarters on Friday and passed with flying colors. It's been a heck of a week. On Friday afternoon I went to a friends house to pick something up, we ended up going out to dinner and then hanging out at her house till it was time to go buy the new HP book. I have been reading it off and on ever since. *grin* I am a little over half way through. Would be more but my back has been in so much pain that I have been having to take my pain meds. So needless to say I have been falling asleep while reading. That and I keep going back and reading more and more. Love this book! It's the best yet! Sad that it's the last in the series but she sure did end it with an awesome book! Anyhow, back to reading.

Bare with me

I know, I know, it's monday night and still no technique. I needed to ask you all to bare with me for a couple of weeks. While I thought I would be able to post a challenge today, I was wrong. I was supposed to get my keys for my new place tomorrow morning. So when I called first thing this morning to confirm, they told me that my new quarters were ready and I could come get the keys today! So I started moving in today. My internet is being shut off here tomorrow morning and will be turned on at the new place sometime on Wednesday but I will be so busy for the next week or so that I won't be able to post until probably close to the 1st of August. But, I promise you, when I start posting again, it will be good! I was walking around my new place today and was surprised to see a HUGE closet in the upstairs hallway that will be perfect for my crafts. I had feared that they would have to be in a corner in my room or something. But instead they will be in this closet. So I am very excited about that and the hamsters in my brain are already running on their wheels giving me ideas for new projects to share. So bare with me my faithful blog reading friends. *grin*

Slight change

O.k. so your probably wondering why it's almost 10p.m. CST on friday and I haven't posted the weekly technique yet. There is a very good reason for it. This morning Anne, the owner of ASB IM'ed me and asked me if she could change my challenge day. So, the day for my techniques will no longer be Friday's. But just so you have a post to read anyway, I thought I would post some pictures of what I have been up to lately. As some of you know, I am moving next week from our current quarters:

(you can see where ours begins at the middle of the porch to the drain pipe, that's our whole place. *rolling eyes* This is an old picture too)

To new quarters:

(you can see where ours begins at the garage and ends in between the porch on the left) The new one is a much nicer and newer neighborhood. People more our age and not to mention, the house is a little bigger. AND! we will have a garage with tons of storage space too! I can't wait, 4 more days till I get the keys! In the meantime, here is what I have been working on. You can see what my stamproom looks like now. It is a stamproom turned storage rooms for all the boxes. The pictures don't do it justice. It has way more boxes and furniture then what you can see.
So now you know why there has been no stamping going on at my house. But, like I said, 4 more days and I will get the keys to the new place and will get to move all my stuff in, clean this place, clear these quarters and then unpack the new place and get back to stamping. *grin*

Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix!!!

So I was one of those crazy people who at 12:01 a.m. was sitting in a theatre watching the first showing of Harry Potter and the Order of The Phoenix! It was freakin' awesome! I have read the book 7 times so I was able to pin point a lot of things that had been changed and things that were left out. But it was sooo good! The last 20 minutes were the best! If you havent' seen it yet, you have to. And I mean HAVE to! I'm gonna go see it again soon. *grin* Wish we had an IMAX theatre near so I could go see it there since the last 20 minutes are apparently 3-D from what I read. Don't know if it is or not, but, it doesn't matter cause there isn't an IMAX near here. Anyhow, in honor of the newest movie about the boy wizard, I thought I would share with you some of my favorite cards that I have done with magical themes. Some of you may have seen these in my SCS gallery but, I love them, so... yah. lolThis is one that I made for my dad for his birthday last year.

This is one that I made for a challenge on SCS.

This is one that I made for my DD's birthday last year. It's my favorite.

If you haven't seen the movie yet, make sure you do! And be sure to check back on friday for the new technique this week. It's one of my favorites!

Blog Tag!!

So I got Tagged by Susan over at Blue Robot. What a fun blog she has! She has got the most darling waterfall ATC's. Go check em' out! And today she has got a fun tutorial on how to make umbrella cards! Too cute! Thanks Susan for the TAG!

O.k. so here's the deal, I have to tell you 7 random things about myself. So here goes!

1. I got an email from my brother's ex girlfriend on my myspace acct. I haven't talked to her in 18 years! Small world huh!

2. In addition to stamping, I also like to make ceramics from start to finish. I do everything from pouring the slip into the mold all the way to painting them after they have been fired.

3. I love checking out real estate sites and dreaming about the house DH and I will someday buy.

4. I am a family support group leader for my husband's company. (o.k. so some of you know that, but this is harder then I thought)

5. I am getting satelitte TV and 5 MEG DSL at my new house (o.k. so some of you knew that too but, it's hard to think of things!)

6. My new favorite TV show is Army Wives on Lifetime. (O.k. so some of you.... alright, you get the picture)

7. I had a dog names Dusty who was a miniture Lassie when I was little.


O.k., wow! That was hard!

O.k. now, I have to tag 7 others:

1. Belinda over at Belinda's Stamping Space. Belinda is a huge source for knowledge and is awesome! It helps that she and I are friends IRL.

2. Jenn over at Jenn's Stamping Corner. Jenn is my wonderful friend who let me stamp at her house the other day and is absolutely awesome! She's my friend IRL too!

3. Kristin over at Artfully Inking. Kristin is awesome! She is the one I told you about who has her own stampline now! Her Turtle and Friends are to die for! I had the fortunate experience to meet her in Dec.

4. Kathy over at Kathy's Kreations. She is one of my blog readers and she has an awesome site too!

5. Anne over at Storm's Cellar. Anne is an awesome lady! She is the owner and creator of A Shade Of Blue.

6. Toni at Stamping Diva . If you haven't checked out Toni's blog, you're missing out! Seriously!

7. Cyndi at My Little Stamping Heaven. Cyndi and I have been chatting for about a year now online. She is so talented.

O.k. so there you have it!

Card for my DH!

I sent my DH a package the other day (I normally send one every other week). Well in this package I couldn't send him a card since my stamp room is packed up. So I figured while I was at my friend Jenn's the other day stamping I would make him a card and get it in the mail. Here it is!

The layout was inspired by a card I saw in the new TAC catty. I also used the Wolves set by TAC and a GWP (Gift with purchase) All supplies are my friend Jenn's so I will do my best to tell you what they are.

Supplies: Gray CS, Olive CS, Black CS, Black grosgrain, STAZ-On Black in, Paper Piercer, Prisma Pencils.

I hope he likes it!

It's Finally Friday!

So I have had this card ready for the Friday technique for two weeks now. I keep bumping it for other techniques. This week is no different. At 5 o'clock tonight I fully intended to use it. At about that time I arrived at my friend Jenn's for some chatting and stamping. I sat down to make a card for my friend who is almost to her due date and feeling quite miserable. I wanted to put a smile on her face. So I went to Jenn's stamp stuff (since mine is all packed you know) and found her How Swell set from TAC. I sat down and Jenn suggested that I use paper piecing on the card. So I did! I loved how it turned out so much that I decided my poor little card that I made two weeks ago would be bumped again. Why? Because I didn't want to wait to share this oh so cute card with you!

Cute huh?! O.k. so even if you don't like it, pretend you do because I very rarely like my cards this much and I need an ego boost. *wink* It looks way cuter in person too. So anyhow, to make this oh so cute card (not to mention this is how you can paper piece yourself) all I did was stamp my lady onto normal white cardstock. Then I stamped her again onto the flowered patterned paper. Next I cut out the shirt of the lady from the patterned paper and I pieced it onto my cardstocked image. And voila! A paper pieced pregnant lady! I then finished my card by coloring using Prisma color pencils, green mat stack CS, green gingham ribbon, the sentiment and then I added a little bling by using stickles on the center of the flower on her hat, and on the flower on her purse.

I hope she likes it!

Check back in a couple of days for a card I did for my DH. And no, it doesn't have an Elephant! LOL

Artful Inkables!

O.k. so I have been meaning to post and tell you all about this awesome new stamp designer for ages now and I keep forgetting. My mind has been elsewhere to say the least. Well, I have 2 minutes before the new season of Big Brother starts so I thought now would be a good time to post. My dear friend Kristin has designed her own stamps. She is amazing! You have to check them out! Her blog Artfully Inking has some samples of her new stamps. You can see them all at Starving Artistamps. Be sure to check out the Turtle and Friends in the Critters Plates and You know I HAVE to get that Elephant to make a card for DH. *grin*

Big Brother's on! *grin*