Divas July Project

Jacque presented a very clever clay pot project for July.  She furnished the clay pots and all of the supplies to create a beautiful flower using a round Styrofoam ball that we were to completely cover with pinched circles of tissue paper.  The gals made some really pretty flowers, some in multiple colors.  I decoupaged the clay pot with some of the papers Jacque provided; however, you all know me I had to do something a little different.  I brought home the punched tissue circles and used my die cut machine to cut various sizes and made three flowers for my pot rather than just one.    I have always wanted to cover a garden pot and now I have the experience to tackle another one and completely fill it with flowers.
Thanks, Jacque.

CRAFT BOOK PROJECT

Craft Book Project Survey/Giveaway

I received an email today from a friend regarding craft blogging who in turn had received an email requesting answers to a quick survey.

If you're interested in helping Alicia de los Reyes, a young women in New Hamshire who needs to collect data for her thesis read on. Demographic questions are optional.

"I'm a grad student at the University of New Hampshire in the writing department, and I received a grant to conduct a 10-minute survey of craft bloggers to research my thesis at craftbookproject.com. I'll be posting the results publicly (responses will be kept anonymous, of course!) and using them to write a book about the current crafty movement. I'd like to invite you to take the survey at http://bit.ly/rlpKCs. It has straightforward demographic questions, all optional. There's a giveaway going on the site right now--if you take the survey by July 31st, you'll be entered to win a $100 Michaels gift card, and if blog or tweet the survey, you'll be entered twice."

Carolyn

Making Cards

The last few days I was fighting with the backup on my computer so decided to set it aside and make a few cards.  Interesting how you don't notice things until seen from a distance or until scanned.  The card with the fish was so crooked that I had to take it apart and re-align the layers after I viewed the above photo.  The three-circle card was first spotted on Splitcoast Stampers a couple of weeks ago but it was Sonia's weekly challenge at Oriental Stamp Art that actually pushed me into making one.  This design has oodles of possibilities plus it was fun to put together.  The bottom two circles swing upward to cover the main circle for a compact card for easy mailing.

I stamped about five of the bird images and layered them onto greeting cards. 

One more Carving

Yesterday, Barb brought some beautiful bird stencils for us to use to carve stamps.  I didn't have time because I was focused on my shadow stamps for holiday projects.  WELL . . . one of the stencils, the largest one, dropped on the floor which I didn't find until everyone had left.  I took advantage of the opportunity before I returned it today and traced it onto rubber for carving.  I still have some fine tuning but it too will make a great shadow stamp for large projects.  The stencil has a lot of details which I omitted but I still like the effect.

Circle of Friends - July Project

Yesterday at Artistic Souls, we carved rubber stamps.  Because I had prior experience, thanks to a workshop several years ago, I was the hostess.    I elected to carve some shadow stamps that I plan to use for holiday projects.  The round floral shapes did not turn out to my liking; however, shadow stamps don't need to be perfect.  I forgot to get photos of the  stamps carved by others, drats!  There were some really intricate designs which were much harder to carve.

 There is never a better day than to spend it with friends.

Below is a photo of my swap card I made for July.

 

Grungy Monday - July 11th

Thanks to Linda at Studio L3, we have another great challenge from Mr. Tim himself.  I really like how my background card turned out.  It is really rich looking and I know I'll use this same color combination again (Distress Broken China covered with Distress Walnut after embossing the Broken China).

The butterfly was also colored using Distress ink (Worn Lipstick, Marmalade and Dusty Concord).  Jump on over to Tim's blog and look at all of the color combinations.

LYNN STEVENS

My dear friend, Lynn Stevens, had another surgery.  Can you believe it?

I know many of you who read my blog check in with her almost daily.  You might want to send her some good wishes via her blog.  Friends ALWAYS MAKE US FEEL BETTER.  She must have scheduled her latest posts prior to her surgery because I know she is not up and around today.

GET WELL LYNN and a quick recovery.