My first Grandbabies picture! And 1 ATC - 2 challenges

As I mentioned in my last post I was waiting for my daughter, Kristine, and her fiance, Randy.  They FINALLY made it  here about 2:00 p.m. Friday afternoon!  We had a fabulous, but busy weekend.  Friday we checked out a couple wedding venues and got ready for the party on Saturday afternoon.   I think there were 36 of us (including kids) to celebrate their engagement!   

My grandbabies are THE cutest sweethearts you could imagine!  I had a blast spoiling them this weekend!   On Saturday morning, Izzy & my oldest daughter, Erinn, were playing, as I was walked past Izzy looks at me and says "Grandma Linda, I love you!"  Of course, she has Grandma Linda (that is still a little weird to me, but in a good way! lol) wrapped around her little finger! lol.  On Sunday morning there was a quiet little knock on our bedroom door, when I said "who is it?" Brandon answered "me, can I please come in?"  How is one resist the sweet little guy, so he got to come in and snuggle with Grandma! (He might have Grandma Linda wrapped around his little finger too! lol) I could go on and on about Brandon & Izzy, but I will spare you, at least for now! lol 

Pictured is Brandon, Randy, Kristine & Izzy!

A couple of weeks ago, when the CC challenge was inking grunge I created this ATC with the Gingersnap Creation Color challenge - Yellow, Orange & Red (GC #64)  in mind.  I did not even think about challenge #63 - Sunshine until I looked at the ATC this evening and compared it to my list of challenges!

Here's my 1-fer-2 ATC! It's made on grungeboard with Distress Ink, an Idea-ology corner, some miscellaneous beads and I believe the sun is from a package of Colorbok chipboard dies with added ink on the rays!

Hope your weekend was FABULOUS!

Take care!

Linda

CCC #9 (edited to add Gingersnap Creations Challenge 66: Paint!)

As you know for the past 9 weeks, every Monday Linda at Studio L3 posts a new Compendium of Curiosity challenge.  This Monday was no different and since I KNEW I had a busy week I planned on completing the challenge on Monday night.  It didn't happen.  I did  FINALLY finish the project, just a little later than I wanted.

Week 9's challenge can be found on page 42, Distress Crackle.  This week instead of an ATC, I went in a different direction!

I tried taking pictures in the studio of the completed project, but they were not very good.  This morning I took my "masterpiece" and headed outside for some natural lighting.  I was just about finished with the photos when I heard a noise that sounded very close to my ears.  I looked up and saw a shadow of a hummingbird on the house.  When I (slowly) turned around she was only a couple feet away.  I tried to get a picture of her, but she was too fast.  After a short time, she flew to a branch and sat.  I tried getting a picture of her sitting there watching me.  Even with a 10x zoom she blended in with the trees too much.  Then she took off again to come "distract" me, but only now she had help! There were 2 hummingbirds flying around me.  I managed to get my camera on burst shooting, but still didn't get a good picture (didn't think about changing to action shots until I was typing this!)  She went back to original branch and sat and watched.  Then he decided to sit on a branch that was much lower and I was able to get a picture!

I looked around, but didn't see a nest, but I am sure there must have been one nearby because normally hummingbirds do not usually get as close as these two were to me!  Thankfully, they didn't get any closer or I might have nightmares (a la Alfred Hitchcock's  "The Birds") lol

Oh, I did manage to get a picture of my project too!

The wood frame is from Ikea that I painted with acrylic paint, after that dried I followed page 42 using  Broken China and Peeled Paint Distress Crackles.   On the ship's wheel I used Weathered Wood Distress Crackle.  The seaweed is again leftover scraps from Charlene's journal and the sand is from MuddPuddles.  The Mermaid image is a Microsoft Office Clipart, it's hard to tell in the photo but I used Sakura Glaze pens on her hair, clam shells and scales.  On her necklace I used Stickles.  She is cut out and mounted on foam tape. 

Have a fabulous weekend!  I know I will - my youngest daughter is coming home with her fiance and my future darling grandkids and we will be celebrating their engagement with family and friends!

Take care

Linda

PS As I wait INPATIENTLY for my daughter to arrived I was checking out blogs and realized my frame will work for the Gingersnap Creations Challenge 66: Paint since Distress Crackle is a type of paint!  I LOVE it when one project  works for multiple  challenges!

Inspiration from Paula's "disappearing" post

I think it was a week or two ago that Paula posted an ATC she had created.  I really liked her "Under the Sea" ATC.  In fact, I liked it so much I was inspired to create an ATC of my own!  

Today I saw she had an update so I went to check it out her art work.  There was no art work, just a message saying the "Under the Sea" post had disappeared.  Oh NO!!  Actually it isn't bad at all, she had to remove the post because she received word it is being published in Scrapbook News and Review!!!  Congratulations Paula, I am SUPER excited and proud of you!  Way to go!

Here is my version of "Under the Sea" (other than both are "ocean" ATCs, mine and Paula's look nothing alike!)

The background on mine is made from paper towels I had used to wipe up excess Distress Ink after "smooshing"!  I used Claudine Hellmuth's multi-medium to adhere the paper towel to the ATC backing.  The sand is some "Cabana" MuddPuddles I won at Scrapbook Update a couple of months ago.  The seaweed was made out of some leftover  paper (glossy cardstock with alcohol ink) from Charlene's book. I used  Distress Ink (not sure which green) on the seaweed stamp and then cut it out.  The fish is a rubon (don't remember the brand and she was the last one so I threw the package out)  The shells and "inspire" are more things from my stash.

One of these days, I am going to have to suck it up,  be brave and submit projects for publications. 

Take care,

Linda

Week 8 of the Compendium of Curosity Challenge!

Just a quick post for Week 8, last Monday (August 2) Linda at Studio L3 instructed us to go to page 39 for this week's lesson: "Inking Grunge".    Here's an ATC I created for the challenge:

Check Studio L3 blog Monday morning  for the newest challenge and check it any time for AWESOME and INSPIRING projects!!

Have a fabulous week!

Linda

Trip Planner

If you read the comments on this post, Charlene was right.  She knows the secret and it's all hers! 

It all started with a simple plan based on some light harassment.   The "light harassment" came from me, not that I make it a habit to harass or tease you understand.  It was just an odd moment for me, really.  The recipient was Charlene!

Charlene & I were talking about the cruise and things that we needed to do, plan, prepare, etc.  She said something about making lists and having everything planned out so she knows what she is doing and when she is supposed to do it. As she says, she is not the spontaneous sort. Me on the other hand, I can go either way, plan it or wing it. . . once the  vacation is planned and I know the general plan, I usually switch to wing it mode.  One thing lead to another (this was over a couple of weeks) and I told her to hold off on a planner.  This was probably sometime in June.

Luckily for me, Charlene had a trip to ComicCon a couple of weeks ago, so that was distracting her (at least I hope it was) from the fact I hadn't come through with the planner.  Since she got back, I reminder her not to get a planner.  I have worked on it steadily, but it just kept growing, and Growing and GROWING!!!   Even as I was putting finishing touches on it Sunday, I thought of and added 2 more elements!

I am happy to say on Sunday, August 1, she finally got her planner!  The original idea was to buy a binder, alter it a bit and hand it over.  That lasted as long as it took me to go to a couple of stores, looked at what was available, and decide that I  could use my bind-it-all and make something much better.  Simple, but better.

I started with a composition book and tore it apart - literally.  I wanted the covers for the journal.  I covered the front with grungepaper AFTER I applied the CCC Week 4 technique to it.  I also ran the (horizontal) center through my  Sizzix "Burlap" Texture Fade, added the label, dusted off my Fastenator, applied some alcohol ink to the fastener and came up with this. 

Not all the tabs are visible, but there are 16, one for each day we are gone plus one to get "ready", "set", and "go".  Don't worry, I am not showing  you everything, just my favorites. . . I will leave some for Charlene to show on her blog too!   Like I said, the planner kept growing, and there are not bind-it-all wires that are big enough, so then the plan was to use Tim's "D-rings".  Guess what? They weren't big enough either.  I ended up using  "giant" (3" binder) rings!

In addition to each tab, I included a pocket on the back of each tab, at least 4 pages for notes and journaling, confirmations we have already received (i.e., ship's itinerary) and a page for photos.  One other feature, since this is a rather "lumpy" book and writing in would be difficult, I made a portable "writing table" that can be slipped under the page she is writing on!

Even though it took me forever to complete, it was a fun project!  I used lots of techniques, some tried and true like "smooshing" (distress ink & water or alcohol inks on the craft mat then smoosh the paper into it)  and some new techniques like the page above with the ship.  For that page I lightly painted the paper in a couple of colors, wiped it off,  then stamped, then added a couple of collage elements. 

The "real" reason I made it for Charlene is so she will have all the details and I won't have to remember anything except to have fun!

So now you know what the "secret" project that kept me MIA!  If I am mostly MIA for the next couple of weeks, I will be getting ready for my youngest daughter's engagement party!   Hope you have a fabulous week.

Linda

PS - Watch Charlene's blog for more of the journal, but she may wait until we are back from the cruise as she said she'd show it a page at a time after she filled it up.

CCC #7

Just a quick post for CCC # 7, for the details go to the Studio L3 Blog and while you are there, check out the other AWESOME projects for this week's challenge and Linda's inspiring art!!!

This weeks challenge Tinted Vision Fragments was found on page 55 in the Compendium of Curiosities.  Charlene came over earlier in the week and we each worked on the fragments.  I used a picture of my parents when they were dating and a 1 1/2" fragment.  

Later in the week I started working on something to use the fragment on and came up with a 4 x 5 canvas frame.   I used all kinds of layers on the frame, then decided the fragment was too small.  Using a larger version of the same image, I ended up with one just right!  Well at least I think it was just right!

In the next few days, I will post some pictures of a project I just completed.  It started out as a relatively simple project, but it just kept growing and growing and growing!  (If you are wondering why I haven't been around much lately, it's because of trying to get the project completed!)

Have a fabulous week!

Linda

Back from the CA State Fair!

We finally made it to the State Fair today on the second to last day!!! We didn't stay all that long because I don't like heat or loud noises and there was lots of both at the fair! We did get to see my cards & layouts on display! And as promised way back in May, here are pictures!

This first picture is yours truly pointing to my 3 cards. . .if you want to see a close ups, click on the name and it will take to the original post: "Thinking of You" (2nd place);"Happy Birthday" (2nd place); Believe (3rd place) is below!

(yes, it is being displayed sideways, oh well.)


In this layout I used parts of an old tablecloth my mom embroidered many, many years ago. I received an "award of merit" (I think it's similar to "honorable mention", but was a distinct award as there were also "honorable mentions".)

Besides being a bad picture, this layout is not a good one for photos in general because has a couple of "hidden" surprises. The pictures are from Dave and my trip to Disneyland in May 2009. On the Jungle cruise side (left), there is some journaling inside the crate, the front of the crate opens! On the Indiana Jones side (right), the bottom step has "treasure" scratched into the stone with an arrow pointing down. To find the treasure you have to lift the stairs! My treasure is a picture of Dave!! Like all good Disneyland stuff, there is a hidden Mickey on each page! Don't strain your eyes trying to find them. On the Jungle Cruise, he is hiding in the crate. See the film strip ribbon on the Indy side? Just below the center, there is a red spot, those are Mickey's pants! Oh, I received 3rd place on this layout!

We were only at the fair for a couple of hours and I could have happily spent it all in the creative arts building and admired all the works of arts. Here are a few examples of everything we got to feast our eyes on:

 

In case you are wondering, the amaryllis (and window) is a quilt!!! There was tons more to see and experience, everything was amazing.

Hope you are having a fabulous weekend!




Linda