The Hop to Stop 2016 - Raising Awareness for Domestic Violence

Please check out this important blog hop to Stop Domestic Violence! Visit The Damsel of Distressed for all of the details and to link your own card!

{{You see, purple is the color of National Domestic Violence Awareness month. 

1 in 3 women will experience domestic violence over the course of their lifetimes. 

Let that sink in - 33% of all the women you meet. 

Women between the ages of 15 and 44 are more likely to be injured or die as a result of domestic violence, than through rapes, muggings and car accidents combined.

And women aren't the only people who are affected! Women, men, transgender - gender doesn't matter. Domestic violence is something that exists regardless of gender, socioeconomic status, religion, education level, etc.}}

(taken directly from the Damsel of Distressed "Hop to Stop" posting)

Creating Custom Plaid Papers

Have you noticed with the onset of Fall all the new plaid papers that are coming out?  I am one of those people that is crazy about plaids. I just LOVE them!! Unfortunately I rarely am able to find papers that are not only the colors I want but also the pattern of plaid I like! 

If you truly love stamping (like I do!!) this might be the time to start making your own plaid papers.  The following is a picture tutorial on creating your own  designs. Click on the pictures to enlarge them & make reading the notes on them easier.

Also, unless you plan to make your lines with a ruler, or free hand, you'll want a "plaid builder" stamp set. I'm sure there are many out there.  Here's one of the sets carried by Papertrey Ink   https://www.papertreyink.com/stamps/plaid-builder-stamp-set/

The stamp set I am using is Retired (Long ago!) by Stampin' Up!

To make your lines evenly apart make incremental marks at the top, bottom & sides of your paper and line up with the stamp lines on the imaging sheet. Once your first lines are in they become your guide to the next stamping lines.  If you need to extend the size beyond the size of your stamps the best way to keep there from being a line across your finished work is to stagger up & down your original lines so that the stamped connection is scattered through your piece.

I extended the length of the stamps above as an after thought. You can see how I ended all of the edges in the same line.  Although careful as I stamped the line becomes more apparent. Staggering where the end of the stamp falls would eliminate this linear distraction

 

If you aren't sure how far apart or what colors or line patterns to use making your plaid, find one you like. . . . in a book, on line, maybe your favorite blanket or shirt.  Have it nearby and stamp the elements from that as you go.  It's limitless how many ways & colors you can stamp them!  It is also a good idea to identify & use the colors in your favorite papers.  Then they are always sure to match!

Feline Fun

Here's a fun kitty stamp from Unity Stamp Company "Meow Meow Meow"

I just love the sweet little glasses.  I think it says a lot about this little cat's perr-sonality!! 

https://www.unitystampco.com/shop/meow-meow-meow

https://www.papertreyink.com/stamps/everyday-cat-sentiments-mini-stamp-set/  
The whole set of feline saying is only $5 !!  I think they are all such fun!

                        The sentiment I used is

                          from Papertrey Ink.

                    Click the pictures to enlarge

Inside I used 4 different stamps to get the sentiment I wanted!!!  The main body of the sentiment  was individually inked and stamped. I purposely left off the "Autumn" portion of it which is positioned at the top of the stamp.  I used a stamp positioner to place the words (each from a different stamp!!) "have" & "a".  Then I lined up the "PURR-FECT" part of the sentiment in the Unity set, selectively coloring & stamping it.  THEN (whew!) I stamped the word "Autumn" at the very bottom of the sentiment!

Luckily it all lined up & I really like the results.  I wanted an Autumn just because (or maybe "Just Be-claws") card & I really wanted to use my new cat stamp, so this made it all tie together for me!



For fun I usually try to finish the back and inside of all my cards.  This one was so quick & simple and I love the way it makes it feel that much more special to the recipient.



Luckily, I already had some die cut leaves on hand because last night the bearings went out in my Big Shot.  :(  Absolute awfulness!  To make the things I normally used the Big Shot for: I drew in the stitching around the large background and traced one of my dies & cut it out by hand for the plaid cameo.  Not having access to my dies also encouraged me to check out my punches. Making the leafy vine was super fast with my Martha Stewart border punch!

I'll have to remember to look at them more often!!

Tomorrow I hope to blog how to make your own plaid backgrounds like the one I used as a cameo behind our cute little cat.

In case you've missed it I shared an easy way to color the die cut leaves and a super simple way to pop them up without a lot of fuss.  I've been having a lot of fun using them out of my stash for the last couple of weeks!! See blogs from October 2016 "Water Color Leaves" & "Making Small Die Cuts Pop-Up"

KITTY LOVE

Oh my, do I ever love my green eyed kitty.  She grew up in my plant pots (literally!!)  Her name is October.  Her Mom is a Siamese with bright blue eyes & father was a blue eyed calico, Siamese cross.  We always look forward to the kittens! Not only precious, but the array of fur & eye color is exciting to find out!   

   



As my Autumn bulbs arrive and as I'm dutifully dividing my iris, etc. October's first kittens play in the dirt and chase the clods as I dig!  They get in the way of the shovel and walk all over my hands so that I can't see what I'm doing!!  I have to chuckle & often give them a squeeze (which also really slows me down, but oh well ~ such is life!)



One of the barn kitties hanging out at the house while I garden

October & her kitten enjoying the spot of dirt right where I need to dig!!

making small die cuts "pop up"

Hi !!  Wondering if anyone else has ever had trouble "popping up" an intricate or small embellishment on a card or scrapbook?

I know that in the past I've been frustrated by the tiny pieces of foam adhesive sticking to my fingers or having the pop up foam showing after my project was complete!!  Argggg!!

The solution is so simple, but it took me a while to figure it out!  Here's what I did.  If you've found an easier way please be sure to share that in the comments.  We all appreciate that!!

#1  Place strips of foam mounting tape, (if it does not have the release paper on both sides of it)  sticky side down on WAXED PAPER 

#2 Using the same die as the item you want to "pop up" cut your foam mounting tape!   It's that easy !! !!

BE SURE YOU DO NOT PUT THE STICKY SIDE AGAINST YOUR DIE OR MACHINE!  It must be protected by release paper on both sides or you will have a time scraping the adhesive out of your die etc!! 

For me, the wax paper works great as a release paper, it easily peels it off when I needed to stick it to my project.  I also found that I did not need the entire shape to make my image pop, so don't worry about perfection.  The beauty of it is that your adhesive perfectly matches the shape of your die cut :)  I also took a Sharpie and ran along the edge of the die cut adhesive so that the white (even though it is not sticking out) is less conspicuous.

A close up of my completed project ~ The Stamp artist is Phyllis Harris for Unity Stamp Co and the leaf dies are a Tim Holtz design for Sizzix

I decided to have a little fun inside the card too!!

Have fun making your delicate or filigree die cuts "PoP"!

Just thought I  would share some of the Autumn mood we have here on the ranch....

Often October is hot and dry but this year it is a little drizzly which, for me makes for a moodiness that I rather like!  It's somehow introspective and romantic!  I think I may start a fire this evening.  The dampness can make it feel so much colder than it is!  

Our Cross Country Team enjoying a Bonfire below the barn

Cattle in the hay field . . . . Must be Autumn!!

Water Color Leaves

If you read my last post, then you know how much I enjoy Autumn.  Today I had a few minutes, so I thought I would make a little stash of leaves to go with some stamping I hope to do this week.  These are really fun and rewarding because what looks like a mess turns out to be simply gorgeous!!

Supplies I used: water colors,  water color paper, cup of clean water, tiny leaf dies, Big Shot machine, silicone embossing mat, paint brush

                           

  Wet the paper with the water brush.  Randomly add splotches & squiggles of color in the Autumn shades you want on your card.  I used multi-color, but something with 4 or 5 shades of brown & red, or brown & yellow, even purple or hot pink work beautifully!

Just add watercolors until the paper is full and the splotches are random.  Use the paint brush to swirl the colors together.  Add additional splotches if it gets too bland for your taste.  To prevent the colors from becoming too muddy keep rinsing the brush so clean water is doing all the work.        

When you are satisfied allow the paper to dry and die cut.  Without removing the leaves from the die put them on the silicone mat and emboss on tab 1. Ta-da!!  They are finished for future project ideas :)


 

I cut my dies on a metal shim. It helps even the most intricate dies cut cleanly & costs about 1/3 of a precision base plate

Above are the cut leaves ready (face up) on the silicon mat ready for embossing. Sandwich them & run them.

Below are the embossed leaves, you can see how the veins in the die now stand out.











So that you can appreciate the difference, here is one of the leaves without the embossing



Thankful . . . . .

I LOVE Autumn!  The air is cooling down at night and the daytimes are so bright & sunny.  Even the way the sun slants through everything feels so good!!  I had a flurry of water coloring stamped images this weekend in honor of World Card Making Day ~ searched out every gratitude and nature stamp I could find in my stash! 


I'm glad that Thanksgiving is in the late Autumn.  These cool, beautiful days are my restful time of year & I have a chance to reflect over all we've accomplished during the long hot Summer!  Harvest is in, cattle are sold, our garden is complete except for a couple of rows of pumpkins that I'm trying to let ripen for as long as possible!  Autumn just makes me so full of gratitude.  I thank God for blessing us with such a life full of love and natures bounty. 


Psalm 65:5-13 By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance, O God of our salvation; you are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas. By your strength you established the mountains; you are girded with might. You silence the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples. Those who live at earth's farthest bounds are awed by your signs; you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy. You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain, for so you have prepared it. You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with richness. The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy


Psalm 104 is full of the Splendor of God & His creation too.  I hope you find time to read it, it is so beautiful.  Here are verses &  from it:



14 He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate—bringing forth food from the earth:

15 wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts

By the way, Happy October!! I hope you all have a blessed day

HAPPY NATIONAL CARD MAKING DAY!!!

Happy National card making day!!  I hope you find time to express your creativity through card making today.  What a beautiful and special way to keep in touch.  God Bless You & Keep You <3

I thought I would share some images, if you have any questions please post and I'll answer as soon as I can :)

Thanks for stopping by