Operation Write Home

Here are my submissions to Operation Write Home.  I challenged myself to use my Tattered Angels spray inks and templates.  (I tend to hoard them instead of using them!) I also used pages from an  old book, heat embossing, and that beautiful flourish stamp from Baroque Motifs (Stampin Up!).  I topped them off with pearlized dimensional paint.

artsy layouts

Here are some fun layouts I made using scrap paper!  Yes, the background 12 x 12 papers were simply used as scrap paper underneath other projects. However, I noticed they actually were full of texture and color, especially after using spray inks, so I added some photos, lettering, and stamping for some artsy pages!  They turned out so well that I sent them off to Somerset Memories for potential publication. I'm crossing my fingers.

I'm a featured artist!

OH man I am soooo excited!  I have a feature article in the upcoming Summer 2010 issue of Take Ten magazine!!!  It's called "The Artistic Touch" and I've never had a spread in a magazine before, so I am soooooooooo over the top excited!!!!  The magazine comes out June 1!!!  This is the article inside- the cover will look different.  woooooooo hoooooooooo!!!

The Latest

Here are my newest CM creations. Both layouts with two photos are based on the same sketch by Ginger Williams. I love using sketches because a lot of the design-work is already done for you. I used the new Wishes and Dreams kit, Simply Beautiful Power Palette, and Beautiful Day Limited Ed. Addition. And because my photos are blurry :( I have to tell you what I wrote:

My little son Reece calls himself "Eece". So when he wants to look at our scrapbooks, he asks, "I see Book of Eece!"

 Okay I have no idea why Blogger is turning my photo sideways.  Anyway, hope you enjoy!

Mother's Day coming up!

Hi peoples! Mother's Day is coming in 2 1/2 weeks, and you know you're going to buy your Mom, or grandma, or sister, a mother's day card... so why not buy one from me? :) Follow the link to see what I have available! In the right hand column of this blog, go to "Link List" and click on "My ShopHandmade Store". Thanks!

National Scrapbook Day!

Here are some pre-made pages that I made for National Scrapbook Day in Tulsa! We had two people win all of these pages and I think they were pretty excited about it!
If you want to recreate these pages for your own, I used the "Simply Beautiful" Power Palette for the brightly colored pages. There is another page I made from the "Romance" paper kit (that is now discontinued, unfortunately). If you need a great Creative Memories Consultant, you should call Joan Bills at 918-664-9906.

more NSD

Please excuse the photos... I have changed the size of some of them and blogger can't seem to get them in the right orientation! ugh...but anyway, you get the idea. These papers are gorgeous!

you gotta see my baby

This little guy is the delight of my life! I wish you all could get to be around him. He's a little joy-box who dispenses it willfully and generously. He smiles and giggles all the time. He's Mama's Angel!

Simply Beautiful border class

Woo hoo! It's almost time for National Scrapbook Day. I will be teaching this class in Tulsa on April 9 and 10 (let's cross our fingers that I can find a substitute for work!!)
These 14 borders are all made with Creative Memories new Simply Beautiful scrapbooking line... the colors are so vibrant! We will use these awesome epoxy stickers and lovely die cuts. The class costs $20. Please email Joan at joanbills@cox.net if you'd like to sign up! Please specify class time of Friday night at 7pm or Saturday at noon. ALSO I love to get comments on my blog so please comment if you have it in your heart :)

new masthead!

Woo hoo! I just created my new masthead!!!! I finally figured it out. I am soooo excited that it finally worked! Here it is in case I change it in the future!

Garden spread

Here's my latest creation... I was challenged by the Creative Memories Design Team to create a two page spread, and since I love those, I couldn't resist! These were made with the Simply Beautiful Power Palette, along with the Spring Addition.

Birdhouse cards

I just made some artsy birdhouse cards, responding to the "Tempting Template" article in Stampers Sampler Feb/Mar 2010 issue.
Anyway these were really fun to make! They are quite involved, but it's worth it for the therapy value! I was proud of my shading inside the window there... I used a makeup sponge with Distress Inks (by Ranger... I think I used Antique Linen and Brushed Corduroy). I love all things architecture. Here are the instructions:

Create a 5 x 7” card. Tear pieces of sky and grass patterned paper and adhere to card, creating the background. Tear pieces of an old book and apply them as clouds. Cut out pieces of birdhouse using various patterned papers. Use border punch to create decorative border on the paper for the roof. Stamp Arched Window onto white cardstock; emboss in black. Use distress inks with a sponge to shade in the window. Adhere window to birdhouse using foam squares. Green-emboss ivy to various places of card. Stamp birds in black. Use distress inks with a makeup sponge around all edges of card.

Supplies: Arched Window stamp (Lost Coast Designs); ivy (Inkadinkado), birds (Stampers Anonymous- Tim Holtz); embossing powder (Ranger); punch (EK Success)

Birdhouse cards...

So here is another card I made using the birdhouse template. I love these stamps... anything ornate makes me happy! This guy reminds me of one of the Greek gods.
Instructions:

Attach a sky background (4 x 5 ¼”) to a standard size card. Ink edges with black distress ink. Cut out birdhouse pieces from brown and black cardstocks, and adhere to card. Stamp Grecian god face and black emboss. Stamp ornate steeple and black emboss; cut out and adhere to card. Tear pieces from an old book and use as clouds. Green-emboss ivy to card. Stamp birds with black ink. Doodle in woodgrain pattern using clear Glaze pen.

Supplies: Grecian god, steeple stamps (Lost Coast Designs); bird stamp (Stampers Anonymous- Tim Holtz); vine (Inkadinkado); Glaze pen (Sakura) embossing powder (Ranger)

Somerset Studio, perhaps?

Here are some artsy cards I made for potential publication in a Somerset Studio publication, "Stampers Sampler" in which you create a "variation on a theme" using the same theme/papers, but create several different cards. Sooo perhaps I'll get published, perhaps not, but these cards were fun to make!

Motor Grunge Borders class

Here's a little class I created for Creative Memories from their "Discover Motor Grunge Additions" pack. These are great for boys/teens! I hate to say it again, but these are much cuter in real life than in photos. ***sigh*** I will be giving this class in Tulsa, OK at the home of Joan Bills (my lovely mother!) on Feb 5 and 6, 2010. Call her to sign up!
These are posted on the Creative Memories website for Consultants. If you are a Creative Memories customer and would like to take this class from your Consultant, ask her to go to the web site and she can download cutting instructions for making this class.
Happy scrapbooking y'all!!!

Card Class

Come make 8 beautiful cards for $20! I'll be teaching this class in Tulsa, OK this coming weekend (Feb 5 and 6). Call Joan Bills at 918-664-9906 to sign up.
One of the items is actually a little gift bag known as a "pillow box". You can fill it with small candies or any other small gift such as jewelry.
All items feature stamping and punching. They all have 3-D elements and we will decorate the envelopes also. Hope you can join me!