Live from Tormville!

CALVINBALL!!!!!

So I mentioned yesterday that I'm doing March Scrapness with my friend Steph - and now it turns out that it's also the month for CALVINBALL!!!!  It's the great scrapbook race!!! 

Last year it was a fierce competition between Doris, Paula, Celeste and I and in the end - the three of us had a chat and ended up deciding just to let Celeste win because she thought she deserved a point for extra effort and we just didn't have the effort to argue about it. So there's that. 

This year I'm chock full of effort so I know I have it in the bag. They're already working to try and sabotoge me, but it won't work. 

I love Calvinball.  Check Celeste's post for the scoring, but remember - any new rule made up by any player has to be accepted.  Oh, and you can't play it the same way twice. 

Game on! 

So...in the spirit of Calvinball - I decided to start off strong and made 8 cards. While the same on the outside, they are all a little different on the inside as I was monkeying with sentiments.  I used the new release from Technique Tuesday - Bring on the Sun by Ali Edwards and mixed it with a wallet of a photograph I took last summer. I often order wallets to add a more personal focus point to my cards. 

The cards I had purchased at a garage sale last summer - I got a whole bunch of packs of different colors and cuts, which I only need to add a little bit of fun to.  I'll save these cards for myself and for boxed sets that I like to give for the holidays, and teachers gifts.  It's doubtful that I'll actually give this as a set of 8, but rather I'll mix them in with other sets - cuz I like variety. 

The sentiment I liked most - still from the Bring on the Sun set - is the one shown here. You can click the photo to see it larger/read it. 

And THEN - just a sneak peek of this project - but one that so far is worth 1/2 a point - is a new album I got fired up on the other night. I want to do a little more with it before I share - planning to monkey with it as soon as I'm done with this blog post. 

AND - lest you think I forgot - my photo a day for yesterday.  What I wore. I haven't quite decided if I'm keeping these shoes yet.  They are Dr. Scholls, but they feel like they are higher in the middle than on the sides and feel a little like I'm walking on a balance beam. They are comfortable otherwise.  I'll wear them in the house for a couple more days before I decide. 

The E on the floor only means that my living room needed a little cleaning. 

Total Calvinball Score to date:  FIVE  Cuz Jill gave us all a 1/2 point just for cultivating antipation in onlookers. 

 Oh - and apparently the gals that don't blog regularly are giving themselves points for blogging daily, so I think I get a clump of points just because I already blog everyday. Well, except for Friday, but that was only because I blogged three times on Thursday which I think gets me another clump of points. 

Calvinball rocks. 

This is how I operate

So. There was a wedding shower yesterday afternoon at noon. 
I knew about this shower for a few weeks, and I had a gift ready for at least a week.

But the card?

hah.

This is how I operate.

At 11:30 yesterday (the shower was only six and a half minutes away if the lights were all green), I threw a pile of embellishments on the table and pushed a few together until I felt it worked.

I never adhere until I write the sentiment, because it's not unusual for me to have to do that part three times in order to get it right. And even then, my wording might be all awkward and squeezed. 

The card was adhered, written and bowed to the package in plenty of time. 

Now to hop in the shower, have my morning coffee and throw all the baby embellishments onto the table so I can get a card made for today's baby shower. 

That I've known about for a few weeks. 

I don't encourage others to operate like I do. 

****

Other stuffs

• Wendy's still sick. Neighborhood hotline says it's a two day bug. Runs, no fever, sometimes a headache. I scrubbed both the bathrooms before I went to bed last night. 
• Greg should be home tomorrow
• Yesterday ran away from me - I never did get any sewing done, but I got a lot done. The van is washed, I got my thrift store fix, made it to the shower and got a few things at Meijers.
• Of course, when I got home I was told that we're out of dog food, thank goodness Uncle George had previously brought over Rex's unused food. 
• -Over and out....

Making Like the Clauses

My husband has this week off work, and what you'll find if you walk into our house at any time between 7am and 1am is one or the other of us working on Christmas projects. The above are the snowmen drying - these are the ones he made for our own kids this year. They'll be dry enough to hang on our tree this afternoon.

As for me? I've been doing some sewing, some baking, and some card making. I like to give packs of cards for teachers gifts and grab bag gifts - and when asking Mark yesterday what he'd like to bring for his preschool teachers, he - without hesitation - said - BANANAS!!!  We compromised and made banana bread. Together. Of all our kids, he's always been the one that most enjoys the kitchen.

As for the cards, I usually make an assortment and send them tied up in a ribbon or enclosed in a cello pack. I still had the December Studio AE set from Technique Tuesday on my desk, and I thought the stamps had great card messages for teachers. 

Most of this particular set of cards has a monochromatic feel to them because I was keeping it simple. I had pulled out my color coded embellishment boxes, my stack of 6 x 6 paper packs and went to town. I made two dozen cards between suppertime and bedtime. 

I generally tend towards homemade, fun, and practical when it comes to gift giving. 

I mixed in a variety of other cards from my already made stash that are different cards I've shared here and there throughout the year. My card basket is generally empty the day after Christmas and I fill it all year long for myself, and for gift giving. 

And then a few more snowmen drying on the water heater. These ones are going to the teachers too - we voted not to ornament these ones but they can instead tuck in  on a shelf or a nook. 

I better go make sure they are all wrapped and headed in the right direction this morning. I'm a little foggy headed and tired. Go figure. I don't know how Santa Claus does it. 

Happy Wednesday!

 

We made photo sucker Valentines

 

This year I have two kids needing Valentines for school. I had planned on this weekend being Valentine making weekend - but it turns out that one of my kids has their party tomorrow and the other class is having their party on Monday.

So I had to step up and rush my plan a little bit.  There are a few things I would have done differently given more time - but in the end, we like them.  Wendy is at the table assembling right now. 

I had seen this idea floating around last year, and I couldn't wait to do it for/with my kids. 

The first thing I did was take both Brian and Wendy's photos with their fists in holding sucker position.  Ideally, I would have liked their arm to be outreached - but sometimes I just have to take what my kids and the light at the time of day they are available will give me.  It worked out fine.

I then had them printed into wallet sized photos.  4 x 6's would be nice, I suppose, but I'm frugal.  

And again - ideally, I would have printed the sentiment directly onto the photo before I had it printed - but I was fighting the new deadline and the constant wonder if I'd have sick kids, so I had to get my order into and picked up from Costco when the health was good.

So the sentiment is separate. 

I printed it out on 12 x 12 cardstock, leaving enough room in between each so I could punch with my Creative Memories Tag Maker

When I know I'm going to use my punch 60x in a row, I like to give it just a little bit of sharpening.  To sharpen my tag maker I punched some tin foil just a few times (I also do this every time I receive a new punch) I then punch through wax paper a few times just to loosen it up.  

I then punched all the sentiments out.  

I would have had Wendy do this herself, but again - we didn't have the weekend like I thought we would.  She's assembling.  And I didn't punch the top of the H off - I just don't know how to hold a heavy camera in one hand and a heavy punch in the other very well.

Holes punched on both the top and bottom of her fist, suckers ready to slide through and tags punched and ready to join them - assembly went quickly. She's done with that before I'm done with this blog post. 

Of course, she took time to interrupt me and inform me that - oh mom, you're signed up to bring a treat and help at the party tomorrow.  

Really?????  I just made a panic phone call trying to figure out what's up with THAT??  I never got a note.

And the completed Valentine. We put the sentiment on the back, otherwise it blocked the whole fist thing which is what makes the whole thing so fun.  We have a few to pop in the mail real quick, and those ones will get more easy to mail bouquets.  I'll share a photo later.  To those that get them - act surprised. 

Like so.

Fun!

I think I've only purchased the pre-boxed Valentines one year. I'm really not a fan of them.  If I had to guess - it was either the year that Mark was born in January, or the year Brian was born in March.

Or maybe both years.

But I think just once. 

be good! 

 

here a card, there a card, everywhere a card card

 

I made this card with my ten year old in mind.  Ten year old's love hearts and rainbows, right?  I have to remember to take pictures during the day when I'm not battling weird light sources.  

Stamps are from the January Studio AE set. 

 

This card's picture was taken during the day. See? Much better lighting.  I used the Core-dination cardstock made for Jenni Bowlin, and another Technique Tuesday stamp - this one from this set.

_____

I stayed up until 3:00 last night working, and I've been paying for it all day.  My plan had been to sleep in until 11, but goodness golly molly, this house is loud on a Saturday morning - even for the half deaf

______

One of the four is still sick. Light symptoms, but symptoms none the less.  She'll be staying home tomorrow.  With me.  With a very tired me.

_______

Meanwhile - that husband of mine is playing with balls of a different sort these days.  He needed a break from the golf balls he's carves, and he's still enjoying getting to know his new lathe. He ran to Joann's this morning (and he's such a good guy, he took mine and Wendy's lists with him, since we weren't up to going ourselves.  He did well, but I forgot to tell him that patterns have sizes so we'll have to swap that out.  It's been a long time since Wendy's worn a 4) to purchase the wooden balls to go with the cup he made on the lathe.  The cups are made from black walnut.  We've got competitions going on as I type and the current record is 14 in a row. So far there have been no injuries, but I'm sure they are coming.  I know my people. 

Time for me to tuck in some kids, say some prayers (one kid at a time) and get some work done.  I am NOT staying up until three again.  My goal is midnight.

 

All I have the energy for right now....

..... is a card.  

Created with Technique Tuesday's January Studio AE, and a bit of Creative Memories. 

While I was up until 1:30 last night working on assignments, I don't feel so much tired as I feel weary. Being a mom is just weary work sometimes, as I struggle to teach a kid how to type a report, as I wonder if he/she really was sick when I sent them out the door to school this morning, and when I know they are struggling to pass a class that I know is too hard for me, and I don't know how to help.

Yep.  Weary is the word for today.

But hey, it's a darn cute card, yes?  I'll never be the wonder parent who knows all things about everything that my kids so desperately wish I was, but at least I can pull out a card now and then....  I'll cling to that right now. 

In December, I make cards.

For years now, I've been giving cards as gifts to the kid's teachers.  They seem to be appreciated, and I do enjoy making them.  Although, I never seem to be able to make them very much ahead of time.  Is it normal for life to be a blur during the child rearing years?

These won't all go to one teacher, as I like to give a mixed set.  A little birthday, a man card, sympathy, get well soon - whatever, but a mix.  If any of my kid's teachers are reading and want to duke it out for any of these - I'm not opposed to that. 

This one is my personal favorite.  I used the large circle on the Circle Maker Punch, a mix of patterns from Cheerful Collection, and went to town.  I couldn't find the link for the stickers I used, so I'm guessing those must have been a Limited Edition, but please correct me if I'm wrong. 

I was taking pictures of the cards one by one when I realized that my three year old was in the background grinning away as he thought I was photographing him.   It's hard to tell where I'm pointing that lens sometimes.  Good giggle break.

And that's that.

I have more to make - so stay tuned.  I also just printed the pictures for yesterday's December Daily, so that'll pop up sometime this afternoon as well.

And at some point I should, like, clean this place
do some laundry
sort some gifts
and make a list

It's all good.

fun & cute: cards

The weekend over - I'm back to creating, and back again finding inspiration over at the Moxie Fab blog. This week is card style week and today is fun & cute.  Fun!!  So here are a few cards I put together after lunch. I've always love the red and turquoise combination. 

 

And yellow and black. *happy sigh* I'm especially partial to black gingham ribbon - I try to always have several yards of it on hand.

The butterflies on both cards are jbs mercantile
The rub-ons on both cards are from My Sentiments Exactly
The yellow pattern paper is jbs Mercantile
The Turquoise ric-rac border is Bazzil, and the
red pattern paper is My Minds Eye

now it's time to clear the card making things off my kitchen table and get some dinner on. Meatballs and baked potatoes are on the menu tonight - a kid (and adult) favorite.

pretty hard for this Finn to resist a Marimekko inspired challenge

  

So I finally started playing the Moxie challenges again last week after a long long lapse, and this very next week Cath pulled out a Marimekko challenge. I'm pretty sure this is her way of making sure I stick around for awhile. You think? I think.  I'm onto you Cath! LOL 

This was the piece she posted for inspiration:

 

I love Marimekko. And I miss Finland. 
sigh
I really really must renew my passport.

But anyway.  To make this card I pulled from my Technique Tuesday stash.  I just kind of rifled through my book and pulled various circles and flowers, like this one, and this one, and this favorite, and then this one,  I stamped the background directly to the white cardstock, and then stamped all the flowers onto colored cardstock and cut them out - some are adhered directly, and some are adhered with foam squares.  I love a bit of depth.  I also intended originally to put the sentiment on the front of the card - but I liked the card so well as it was, that I went for an interior sentiment

 

Now this Finn is going to go start prepping for a long day of pasty making tomorrow.  Which are Cornish actually, not Finnish, but eaten by many many Finns.

Hyvää yötä

And another moxie inspired card

 

This one is the finding inspiration in a layout challenge - using this great layout. I was inspired by the patterns, the white border around the photo and the circles.  I made six of these too, putting me at 12 cards made today. The stamp is the same on that I used in this post/on this card. 

Now I think it's time to create some layouts - I'm in full on create mode today.  And it's fun! 

Patterned Papers - BoBunny - Delilah and Alissa Collections
Punch - Creative Memories - Circle Maker
And a photograph - I like to order wallets of photos that I can use for cards and I keep them in a file close to my desk.

Stay tuned.....I'm pulling up the next inspiration now.....