Sharing my passion...

It was my turn to teach a technique and share my passion with my stamping club. They asked me if I would teach them how to use a brayer and the resist technique. It was nice to be able to teach a class that I actually have done the technique on my own several times. I also went over the do's and don'ts of using the brayer and several different ways you can use it. Splitcoast stampers is a wonderful resource if you have any questions or want the list of ways to use the brayer. I made these samples while I was on vacation. I got back just in time for club and then we left the next morning to take our last little chickadee to college orientation and a peek of his new apartment. The college is only 3 hours away and then we drove back home that night. I sure am going to miss that guy when he goes in two months. I think I am in pre-empty nest sydrome already. Saturday I was exhausted from all the travel this week or maybe it was thinking of Elliot not being here in the fall.

Here is my sample of the resist technique using Versamark on glossy card stock and SU Sahara Sand classic ink. The card stock is SU River Rock and Rose Romance. The border was done with SU border punch and I also used their curly label punch and "great friend" stamp set. I ran some of my favorite ribbon through the Fiskars border punch on the left. The butterfly punch is from Martha Stewart. I really wasn't happy with where I had to put the label as I would have liked it to be more in the bottom right corner but I didn't want to cover up the butterfly resist since I only had two on the card. The sentiment was from Hero Arts. I was looking for something small and only used the hooray out of the "hooray for you !" stamp.

This next card was also a resist with an old SU Kaleidacolor cotton candy stamp pad. The stamp is "Butterfly Flourish" by Stampington and Company. I used two of Martha Stewart's punches and some prima flowers. The card stock is SU Regal Rose and So Safron.

This last sample was done just brayering SU Sahara Sand onto glossy card stock. I stamped "Lone Tree" from Paper Bag Studio in black Stazon and then did some layering. I wanted this to be a masculine card so I kept it simple. I turned the square brads on a diagonal to get some height for the tall slender image of the tree

As usual we always have a great time learning from each other. We were all covered in ink by the end of the night. A lot of laughing and stamping is just what the soul needs and when it is shared with friends makes it even sweeter.

Have fun and enjoy!

~Kim

Just for today it's a man's world...

I have eight good friends that I get together with once a month and we spend an evening together stamping. We used to make eight trading cards each month and then we gave everybody one so at the end of the night we had eight different ones. We would pick a theme and it was a lot of fun, but what do you do with all those trading cards? We decided that we would try something different so now we make one full sized card. We still pick a theme and then we put them all on the table and assign a number to each one. We draw a number and you get the corresponding card. This month was a masculine theme for Father's Day and this was the card I made. Nothing really special as most of my masculine cards usually are. I really have to reel myself in and not go too foo-foo when I make a card for men.

The stamp is "John Jacob" from River City Rubber Works. I was playing with my Adirondack "lights" again on glossy card stock. For this card I used Aqua and Cloudy Blue and just randomly stippled the colors on. Once it was dry I stamped John Jacob in Memories Black. I used my Harlequin Cuttle Bug folder on the silver card stock. My favorite SU Word Window punch was used on the sentiment. I added three little black gems for his buttons and one on each end of the sentiment.

I am going on vacation next week and I am taking some homework with me. It is my turn to teach at our larger stamp club this month. I was asked if I would show them how to use the brayer on glossy card stock and the resist technique. I need to make some samples to bring so I thought I would take some things with me and whip up a few. We'll see what happens!

Have fun and enjoy!

~Kim

Hey girlfriend...

I didn't realize I had become a daily fix for some of you and I am very flattered. When I haven't posted in awhile I soon hear about it. I will try my hardest not to disappoint my peeps. Oh I so wanted to be able to say that even if it is only a handful.

I was working with my new Ranger Adirondack "lights" inks and I used the lemonade and shell pink on glossy card stock. I stippled the ink on and then heat set it. I just love this stamp of girlfriends from River City Rubber Works. I wanted to celebrate the fact that one of my dear friends is coming home from Florida and we can soon get together to stamp again. I can't believe it has been 8 weeks since I was down to visit her. I haven't enjoyed myself that much in a long time. I really owe her big time. I think a nice cook out for her and her hubby is in order.

The designer paper for this card is SU- flocked together and the card stock is SU- so saffron and black. I used my Fiskar border punch and SU word window. JoAnn Fabrics had a great clearance sale on their trim a few weeks back so I picked up this white braid and added pearls. The flowers are Prima.

Have fun and enjoy!

~Kim

Very simple

This was such a simple card that I had to post it to show you how simplicity can be quite nice. It wasn't what I had expected to post today and you can read about that further down in the post. I made this a few weeks ago and came across it as I was searching my photos. The SU french script was done in SU opaque vanilla. I did use my heat gun to set it because as usual I was in a hurry and I am not a patient person. The butterflies were done on kraft card stock with black embossing powder and then trimmed out. I wasn't too happy how the three little brads sort of pulled the ribbon. I think I read somewhere that if you put a bit of glue on the ribbon where you want to poke something through, it won't run the ribbon. In this case I don't think that was the case, it just sort of buckled.

I created a new card on Sunday and had some extra time this morning before work so I thought I would post it. I had taken the pictures of it this weekend but didn't load them onto my computer. Yikes, I can't find the camera. My son must have used it and like everything else nothing gets put back where it belongs. As hard as I try I just can't get him to learn some of my organizations skills. I try to teach him that it saves him time in the long run if he doesn't have to search for things. The few times I am brave enough to enter his domain (bedroom) I can see my wisdom has fallen on deaf ears. Oh well, maybe some beautiful young lady will enter his life and she will help him to see that his mother had a point.

So for today you get what you get. I will post again soon, I promise.

Have fun and enjoy!

~Kim

My little corner of heaven...

Everyone has their own way of relieving stress and this is just one of my favorite little spots that I can relax before I head into work each morning. This is actually in my bathroom. I didn't have any new stamping projects to share with you today and I had just put these lilacs from my yard in my bathroom so I thought I would share a little of me instead. When we bought this house almost 4 years ago this bathroom was one of the selling points for me. It is at least four times the size of my old bathroom and is large enough that I can dance in here. I fell in love with the three large mirrors, garden tub which rarely gets used now that the newness has worn off, and the "his" and "hers" sinks. I did not however like the pale blue color or the Formica counter tops. With a little paint and some granite we were able to turn this into a luxurious oasis. Every morning I feel like I am in a hotel and I never forget how grateful and fortunate I am to have this.

On the mornings that I work, I start my coffee in this little 4 cup coffee maker and head into the shower. By the time I am done my coffee is ready and waiting. I sit here with my coffee, dry my hair and put on my makeup. The coffee maker and TV fit just perfectly between two of the mirrors at the vanity area. My sink and mirror are located just to the right of the vanity area. The local news and then the Today Show is always on to keep me up to date as to what is happening outside my own little world. I have a small ironing board that hangs on the door into the toilet area and this is where I iron my scrubs every morning. Yes I know you shouldn't have to iron scrubs but when I do the laundry I have a scrub top, pants and matching lab jacket for each day that all goes into one load. Fifteen items don't come out of the dryer looking very neat especially if I don't get to them right away which is often the case. Hence I need to take the iron to them. By the time I am ready to head out the door I have been in this room for at least an hour. I would love to stay longer but somebody has to pay for the luxury. So off I go relaxed and rejuvenated to earn the bacon.

Here is another picture of some of the lilacs that I put up on the mantle in the family room. I have a lot of the yellow and green bushes out back that I cut sprigs from to help fill in the arrangement. The trim that you see at the top of the picture is the bottom of a large framed mirror that sits up on the wall over the mantle. The ceilings in this house are 20 feet or more. I love the atmosphere but not the work they create when it is time to paint. Luckily the bathroom was the only room in the house that I didn't like the color and needed paint.

I will probably do some stamping tonight so I will have something to post soon. We have been invited over to our neighbors for a cookout and I have a big bowl of pasta waiting for the vegie fixings and dressing so I better get moving on that.

Have fun and enjoy!

~Kim

Look what the mailman brought

Well not exactly but the mailman did bring a piece of this card. The larger Spellbinders Nesties label four diecut was cut from a brochure that came in my mail. I don't even know what it was an advertisement for but I loved the colors immediately. The bronzey sage color is pearlescent which makes it even more luscious. The minute I saw it I knew it was a keeper and I would be able to reuse it to make something beautiful. So what do you think? I looked through my stash of paper and found the perfect match. It is the Hannah 6x6 pad from the K-Ology line of K&Company. I also used my MS and fiskars border punches. The ribbon is actually cream but this photo makes it looks more white than the smaller nesties.

The sentiment is from SU Friendly Words jumbo wheel. How on earth did she get just that sentiment from a wheel do you say? I saw this on someones blog and I apologize for not being able to remember whose, but what they did was take the rubber off the wheel and strategically cut out all the sentiments. By doing this I was able to get 12 new sentiments and 2 emblems. Not bad for $8.50. I did have to mount it onto cling foam but I already had some. I will never look at the wheels the same way again. I really enjoy being able to look at something in a different way and find a different use for it. Although this may be considered gift it can also be considered a downfall as I tend to save way more than I need. I have to learn to draw the line at some point.

This was a beautiful holiday weekend and my flowers are all in and my pots are planted. We cooked out all weekend as the weather was nice and sunny and I was able to sit back, relax and enjoy the outdoors. We have a private wooded backyard that offers home to a fair amount of wildlife. We have birds galore. I haven't seen the turkeys lately and it has been awhile since I have spotted any deer. This winter I caught two red fox running in and out of the yard. Not bad for living in the city limits. To me it is the best of both worlds. I'm not a big city girl, but I'm not much of a country girl either. Well I have to go, I still have a few projects I want to finish before I head back to work tomorrow. Luckily it is supposed to rain this afternoon so I can get them accomplished by staying indoors.

Have fun and enjoy!

~Kim

Where did the time go...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLIOT!

I can't believe my baby turns 20 today. I just find it so hard to believe since I am only 29 myself. Who am I kidding. I feel all my 48 years and have some gray hairs to prove it. I don't think I am going to enjoy these empty nest years. Trying to get through the teenage years of all 3 of my children, I remember thinking I couldn't wait for the time they would all be out of the house and on their own. Elliot spent his first two years of college here at the local college but will be transferring for his last two. I know it will do him the world of good as he will gain more responsibility and maturity. As he slowly gains his independence I have tried to accept the shoes laying at the back door, his laundry laying all over the floor as it takes him several days to finish it, and the little time he spends eating dinner with us. I accept this because I know it won't be long that I will give anything to see those shoes and laundry and the few meals he will grace us with his presence. Where does the time go?

We will celebrate his birthday by going out to dinner. He will have his friends over this weekend for a bonfire and all that goes along with it. I'm sure I will fall asleep just happy he is home and safe. Next year it most likely won't be at home but at a tavern as he explores a new phase of his life.

For this card I used SU ballet blue, black and silver. I also used my Spellbinders nesties- curved rectangles and labels three. I ran the curved rectangle through my cuttlebug- argyle and the bottom, I used my dotted swiss.

Have fun and enjoy.

~Kim