Scraps and Ink

Meeting Tori Spelling at CHA

So I am here in Anaheim at the Craft and Hobby Association annual convention and trade show and once again, the manufacturers did not disappoint. 

But the highlight of my day was actually meeting and talking to Tori Spelling. Yup, the celebrity is here promoting her new jewelry components line for DIY-ers.

I was walking back from the convention center and decided to cut thru the back way down one of the halls near the ballrooms. Right there in the hallway was Miss Spelling surrounded by a small entourage of about 5 people, one of which was a giant Samoan with long dreadlocks wearing one of those earpieces like the secret service wears, so yeah, pretty sure he was not about to let me get any closer to her. So I very carefully and politely tapped him on the shoulder and asked if I could get a photo with Miss Spelling. He nodded yes. :)  

Tori was messing with a necklace, one from her new product line, trying to shorten the chain so it hit just right where she wanted it on her neckline (the one in the photo). As I stood there patiently waiting for the giant body guard to usher my closer to her for the photo, I heard her say "I just need to squeeze this jump ring to get it closed. Wish I had a pair of pliers right now". That made me smile. :) Glad to know that she was truly a DIY kind of girl! Just then, her assistant, Mehran (a.k.a.- her "gay husband"), came rushing out of the ballroom, and said "Tori, it's time! You need to go on! (meaning "onstage" to do whatever she was about to do in that ballroom). She had seen me standing there and said, "Wait just a minute. This lady wants a photo", smiling in my direction. To the dismay of Mehran and the rest of the entourage, the body guard ushered me closer and Tori jumped right to my side, put her arm around me and her assistant snapped a photo (the one above). Then Tori turned and thanked ME....ME! I thought that was very gracious of her since I was the one bothering her for a photo. I told her that I think she is a beautiful person and I appreciated her letting me get a photo. She smiled very genuinely and said "that is so sweet of you to say!" and thanked me again.

Then she was rushed off into the ballroom by an obviously flustered Mehran, but not without smiling and adding a "take care!".  

Now THAT is one classy lady. :)

Later,

nancy 

Heidi LOVE!!!

So my uber-talented friend, Heidi Smith, created one of the most amazing things ever!!! She made her own apothecary cabinet to hold oodles of supplies and it is sooooo awesome!!!

Here are a couple of pics:

How cool is that?!

She MADE IT HERSELF!!!! AND she gives detailed instructions on her bloggity blog HERE.

I sooooo have to make one of my own now! Heidi and I are so much alike in that we like to build stuff ourselves. We look at all the pretties in the little shops and boutiques and think to ourselves "I could make that myself for way cheaper", and so we do!!!!!  We have an obsession with big ol' noisy power tools that require gnarly looking blades, guards, goggles to be worn, and a steady hand to operate. And we're not talking the pretty pink girly versions either. Power tools that we learned how to use from our dads. Big boy toys. Dewalt, Porter Cable, Makita.....all names we know and know well. :)  

So if you are of the "do it yourself" sort, hop on over to her awesome blog and see how she made this herself!  

Later,

nancy

Basic Grey Nordic Holiday

I have some BG love to share. :)

Well, the holidays are over and my Christmas deco is ready to come down! How 'bout yours? 

With the holiday stress just a memory and the kiddos back in school, I finally had a chance to play with some more BG Nordic Holidaygoodies these past few days. Other than a couple of cards and a quick page, I really have not had a chance (until now) to really dig thru it all and do as many projects as I have wanted. But once I started working with the patterns and matching the fun designs, a cute frame and card came together in no time! Just look at how great the adorable little snowmen of the Alpine Yule patterned paper looks on this frame! (You can click on the image for a better look).

details:

I popped a couple of glitter chipboard stickers onto the frame to really dress up one of the corners. So quick and easy!!!  

The card pictured below was also made in no time. No fussy cutting, just a few pieces of paper and more cute glitter chipboard stickers. LOVE those!!! You can see all of them HERE. I love how stitching looks on my projects, so I just had to run the papers through my sewing machine. :)

One of my fave things about BG's Nordic Holidayis that it is both a cute Christmas collection as well as a fun Winter collection. The sheets are double sided with some really fun colors mixed in, so there are sooooo many patterns to choose from. LOVE that!

That's it for now. :) Thanks for stopping by! I'm off to go play with more Basic Grey goodies!

later,

nancy 

CSI: Today's the big reveal!!!!!

Hi everyone!!! Today is the big reveal for a brandy-brand  new site called CSI: Color, Story, Inspiration!!!

I am excited to share that I have been asked to be on the Design Team!

This is sooooo NOT your typical color combo site! Besides working with fabulous color palettes, we also focus on story and inspiration. Hence, the "CSI" title. :)

Tonight is the very first reveal and live chat, so click HERE to stop by for great ideas and chat with the DT and other members! Also see how you can win a great prize by Dusty Attic!

This is my take on Case File #1:

The details:

Thanks for stopping by!

later,

nancy

Pucker Up!!!!!

So guess what I have in my hot little hands? YUP!!!! The new Basic Grey Kissing Booth!

Just look at this yummy collection! 

All those pinks and reds, with a touch of yummy chocolate and sunny yellow...just so smooch worthy! And to say it is even more lovely in person is an understatement! I have some uber-adorable photos printed and ready to scrap using this super cute line! Can't wait to share!

Be sure to click here to see the full line with all the amazing embellies!

Thanks for stopping by!

later,

nancy

 

BASIC GREY luv!

Hi all!

Seems like forever since my last post and I have so much to share! I have been up to my eyeballs with the hustle and bustle of the holidays. And can you believe I STILL have NOT put up the Christmas tree? Maybe I will be able to round up some help and get that done this afternoon.....maybe. :) 

I just LOVE LOVE LOVE me some Basic Grey, don't you? I want to share some of my design team creations using some of my fave BG products.

First off from the Picadilly collection (my fave collection):

Close-ups:

And a card:

close-up:

And from the Indie Bloom collection:

close-up:

And a fun and BRIGHT card:

These next two projects were featured on the Basic Grey blog and uses the cool new Sizzix dies made especially for Basic Grey.

First, a Christmas card using two different Sizzix dies (ornaments and snowflake) and the Nordic Holiday paper collection as well as a sticker element for my sentiment:

Next is a page using the Little Black Dress collection and the Sizzix vine die that I used two of, and layered to create one longer vine.

close-ups:

And one final project for the Basic Grey blog. Again, using my all-time fave Picadilly collection:

close-ups:

After I did this page, BG created a sketch out of it for the Monday Sketch here:

Cool huh? They did a super job turning my page into a sketch. :)

So there you have it! I'm off to finish up some more projects to share with you soon...and maybe get that dang tree up!

later,

nancy

WE HAVE OUR WINNERS!

    I am happy to announce that Bobbi Beech and Pam Thornburn are the winners of the "12 Tags of Fall" give-a-way!!! YAY!!!

Pam has won the bag of godies containing the Distress Inks, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist and other assorted ephemera!

And Bobbi has won the hanging metal wall tag holder to display her own tags!

So ladies...plz email me with your shipping addy so I can get your prizes out to you ASAP!!!

Thanks to everyone who played along and left comments- your kind words truly do warm my heart!

Thanks sooooooo much for stopping by!

much love,

nancy

Fall Tag #12

I am soooo sorry for the missing post for yesterday! My laptop was being flaky, and when I clicked "publish post", I walked away for the day without double checking to make sure the post actually happened. And of course, it never published my post! So here is yesterday's post: 

Well, we are at the end of our "12 Tags of Fall", and I must say that it has been sooooo much fun! I hope you all have enjoyed playing along. :) Have you have learned some new techniques to try? What were your faves? Did you give them all a try? I hope you got to get your hands inky and create something fabulous! To me that is the fun of it all- getting inky and creating things that make me happy. And this last tag truly makes me happy! I think I have saved the best for last. To me this tag is the best of the 12, and I LOVE everything about it.

Fall Tag #12

Isn't it pretty?! So let's get started!

Step 1:

Stamp text repeatedly onto tag, covering entire surface. Set with a heat tool.

Step 2:

Using embossing ink (or watermark ink), stamp surface repeatedly with a flourish stamp. Try to stamp image onto as much of the tag as possible without overlapping image.

Step 3:

Cover entire surface of tag with clear embossing powder.

Step 4:

Using heat tool, heat embossing powder til powder turns clear. Allow to cool.

Step 5:

Using an ink blending tool, shade entire tag surface with brown ink.

Step 6:

Notice how the text on the tag background looks lighter, while the text under the embossed flourish looks darker? LOVE that reverse effect!

Step 7:

Ink an area of your craft mat with orange ink. It is important to use a craft mat, or any other slick, non-stick surface for this step.

Step 8:

Spray inked craft mat with water. I keep a small spray bottle filled with water near my desk for this and other techniques.

Step 9:

Place a small chipboard frame face down in ink. Rub frame into ink with a circular motion. Continue until all ink has been absorbed into frame.

Step 10:

Allow inked frame to dry completely. You can also use a heat tool to speed up this step.

Step 11:

Lightly inks surface of frame with brown ink.

Step 12:

Remove backing from frame and adhere to vintage paper or other ephemera sheet.

Trim paper from around frame.

Step 13:

Attach lace and ribbon to tag. I prefer to use hot glue for this step, but be careful- hot glue is really HOT!!! (Still sportin' the band-aid from a previous incident.)

Step 14:

Add sentiment to chipboard frame and add frame to tag. Add additional embellishments such as buttons, felt leaves, faux berries and ephemera fruit label. 

Tie a pretty ribbon to the top and you're done! 

So there you have it! 12 of 12. :) I am a little sad to be finished with the 12 Tags of Fall, but excited to give away some fabulous prizes to my readers!!! You want to see what you will win?

Give-a-way #1:

Set of Distress Inks in three fall colors- "Gathered Twigs, Ripe Persimmon, and Seedless Preserves", Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in "Coffee Shop", and an assortment of vintage goodies and ephemera- some of which I used on the 12 Tags of Fall.

Give-a-way #2:

A metal wall display hanger to hang your very own "12 Tags of Fall"- just like the one below (tags not included).

*****Remember to leave a comment for your chance to win! You have until tomorrow (MONDAY) 12:00 noon (MST) to leave a comment on each day's tag. The more tags you comment on, the more chances you have of winning one of the two prizes! I will randomly choose two winners and will announce those winners Monday evening 8:00 pm (MST). 

Thanks for stopping by!

later,

nancy

Fall Tag #11

Wow! Only two more tags to go! Have you learned some fun new techniques to try? I really hope I have shown you some cool things you can do with products you already have, or inspired you to take a second look at products you may have overlooked in the craft store because you were not sure how to use them. I am in NO WAY trying to get you to buy the products I am using on these tags, but some products just work better than others at achieving the results I am showing you. I use certain products based on my own past experiences- successes AND failures. Use what you already have, and experiment with them. You may just surprise yourself and come up with a new technique that you just love! I truly do hope you have a chance to try some of these techniques on your own tags, scrapbook pages and cards.

So without further adieu:

Fall Tag #11

Let's get started!

Step 1:

Using an ink blending tool, color tag with light tan ink.

Step 2:

Add more color to tag with a dark green color of ink.  

Step 3:

Make a cup with your hand, and fill hand with a small amount of water. Flick water onto tag surface. Allow water to sit on tag for a moment and then dry tag with a heat tool. Repeat as many times as you like to achieve varied looks.   

Step 4:

Dampen and crumple and old recipe. Flatten back out with your hand and allow to dry. I don't know about you, but reading this recipe sure is making me hungry. :) I have always wondered what to do with those extra slabs of thickly sliced warthog meat, not to mention those pesky dead possum we always see on the side of the road. I especially like how it says to only use 1/2 possum. You can save the the other half for breakfast possum omelets the next day. YUMMM!!!!! As my grandma used to say: "waste not, want not."    

In my hurried excitement to use this recipe on my tag, I seem to have forgotten to take a photo of "Step 5". So here goes:

Step 5:

Glue recipe to tag and cut off excess.

Step 6:

Add coppery letter stickers to tag.

Step 7:

Add ribbons to bottom of tag. I find that using hot glue to adhere the ends of the ribbon to the back of the tag works well. For a bit of contrast, use ribbons with varied textures- like this satin paisley with the brown striped twill.  

Step 8:

Add a leaf and dried fruit slice using hot glue. (Because everyone knows you simply must have some sort of acidic element when cooking that fabulous road kill dish) Dried fruit slices can be found at just about any craft store or even in bags or potpourri (that's where mine is from). I think apple slices would look great on this tag also, don't you? (Not sure how apple tastes with possum though...or the occasional slab of warthog.)  

Step 9:

Attach additional twill, a tied button and mini pine cones. Tie a ribbon to the top of the tag and you're done!

So there you go!

Before you run off to scrape that critter off the road to make your own batch of piping hot Possum Stew, don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win the big give-a-way: a goodie bag with a set of Distress Inks in three fabulous fall colors, a bottle of glimmer mist, and a cool assortment of vintage ephemera, and the second give-a-way: your own "12 Tags of Fall" wire tag holder to display all 12 tags!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

later,

nancy    

Fall Tag #10

Hard to believe we are on Tag #10 already! We have learned quite a few new techniques along the way, and although I have oodles more in my little bag-o-tricks, I only have two more tags to share after this one. (((sigh))) No worries, though, I am cramming a few new techniques into each tag so you don’t run out of things to try.

You didn’t think I could do the “12 Tags of Fall” without adding at least one pumpkin did you? Of course not! And this little beauty is oh-so-cute!

Fall Tag #10

Step 1:

For this background, I wanted a wood-grain look, but alas, I do not have a wood-grain stamp (I think I need to get one of those A.S.A.P.). So I did a little improvising and decided to use the next best thing- a Sizzix texture folder! So here we go:

Cover one side of texture folder with brown ink.

Step 2:

Press tag down onto inked surface. Using a brayer, roll firmly over back of tag to evenly distribute ink. You could run tag and folder thru your Sizzix machine at this point to create the actual wood-grain texture (because, after-all, that is what the folders are for). I just wanted the pattern on my tag, rather than the texture.

Remove tag and admire your cool, new “stamping” technique.

Step 3:

Add more color to your tag using brown ink and ink blending tool.

Step 4:

Spray entire surface of tag with brown spray mist, and dry with a heat tool.

Step 5:

Add torn strip of ephemera paper to top of tag. Trim off excess and re-punch hole at top of tag.

Step 6:

Draw and cut out pumpkin shape from heavy chipboard or “grungeboard”.

Step 7:

Using a brush, paint entire surface of pumpkin with a layer of brown craft paint. Allow to dry completely.

Step 8:

Brush surface of pumpkin with a coat of crackle medium. Allow crackly medium to dry just til tacky to the touch. Do NOT allow to dry completely.

Step 9:

Brush on an even coat of orange craft paint. Orange paint will crack slightly as it dries, revealing a bit of the brown paint. Allow orange paint to dry completely.

Step 10:

Lightly sand surface of tag to reveal a bit more brown paint.

Step 11:

Adhere pumpkin to tag.

Step 12:

Add small twig to top of pumpkin (stem), and add leaves, dried florists’ moss, and curly paper covered wire (vines).

Step 13:

Add button, flower, and sentiment to tag. Tie a pretty copper ribbon to the top and you’re done!

So there you have it. :) 10 down and only 2 more to go!

*****Remember to leave a comment for your chance to win some fabulous prizes! You could win a brand new set of  Distress Inks in three gorgeous fall colors, a bottle of glimmer mist and a totally cool collection of ephemera goodies to make your tags truly special and unique!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

later,

nancy