Dylanbug Designs

Gift for Mom

2012-01-21T10:00:00.000-08:00

Now that Christmas is past, I can share something I made and gave to my mom. This started out as a plain tan-colored paper mache' box.

Getting it to its finished state required a lot of patience on my part. Not usually my strong point. But there are several layers that each required full drying before the next step could happen.

Some of the ingredients that went into the box were:

Pretty paper napkins
white gesso
rubber stamping with solvent inks
Vintage black velvet ribbon
Vintage jewelry pieces
Antique lamp crystal (colored with solvent ink)
glitter glue

I have to say it was really satisfying to watch this project progress through each step and then wind up with this result. It is exactly how I imagined it.

And hopefully my mom liked it as much as she let on :)

I'll be back with another post about my mother-in-law's gift.

Stay tuned...

Why I Love SCRAP

2012-01-20T15:58:00.000-08:00

If you don't know, SCRAP is this totally cool little place that people donate all kinds of weird stuff. And artists, crafters, quilters, and tinkerers of all types can find surprising supplies there. For next to nothing. The cool part is that the inventory changes all the time, so you can always find something different.

I stopped by today and here's what I came home with...

1/2" stack of bright red tag board
8 sheets of alphabet stickers in various colors
Several yards of embroidered ribbon
Vintage doilies
Button blanks for my iTop tool
Fine purple glitter
Red frog fasteners
Round ceramic tiles
Two pairs of shoe laces
Paper Crafts magazine
A gorgeous red and white upholstery fabric sample

And I paid a grand total of $6.80!

This is such an amazing community place. They have a little gallery of art projects that people have made with things from the store. If you have kids, this is a great place to go stock up on art supplies and not spend a fortune. Dylan loves taking a couple of his allowance dollars and seeing what he can buy for his craft stash.

It's like a little treasure hunt and you don't have to feel the least bit guilty about buying art supplies!

A Touch of Spring

2011-04-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

If April showers bring May flowers, then there better be some truly spectacular blooms next month. Normally I kind of like the rain. But lately even I am getting sick of this drippy nonsense going on in Portland. The ground is perpetually squishy, the gutters are a slimy mess, and my poor car is getting a little green scum in the nooks and crannies where the carwash can't reach. Ugh!

So, here's my temporary antidote - some lovely blooms.

These bright lilies remind me what will be showing up in my yard when the sun finally gets warm enough. Something to look forward to.

Dylan and I are going to start planting our little garden in a week or two - strawberries and pumpkins, and some zinnias for color.

I love walking in the woods in the springtime and stumbling upon the pretty little irises hiding among the ferns. They always look like fairy flowers to me. Ever since I watched the first Tinkerbell movie, I can't help but imagine little sprites painting all the flowers when nobody is looking.

Hope you find a little magic in your day. Thanks for stopping by.

Wheels

2011-04-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

There are days when I am happy to just sit and sift through all of the cool little doodads that I've accumulated. It fills my head with daydreams and memories. It makes me crave period films and Louisa May Alcott books.

Inevitably, art ideas emerge and I have to stop dreaming and start designing.

Who else out there stuck playing cards in the spokes of their bike wheels? Yes, I'm old, but some things really were better way back when. We used to raid our mom's wooden clothes pins and beg the jokers from the card pack. And you had to get the alignment just right to get the perfect clickety clack sound.

I found some great metal buttons in a grab bag at our local antique store and decided to use them on a nice old fashioned guy card. This one reminds me of leather furniture and silk ties. Shiny black wing tips and pipe smoke. I've always kind of liked the smell of pipe smoke.

Speaking of tobacco...my mom and I had a chuckle on Sunday of "card weekend" because my fingers were so stained with brown dye that I looked like I'd been rolling my own smokes!

Well, that's it for today. Hope all is well in your world. I'll be back later with a touch of spring...

Le Cirque

2011-04-17T19:59:00.000-07:00

Finally finished getting all of my card pictures taken and onto my computer. So without further delay, a peek at some of the results of "card weekend".

I thought I'd start with two of my favorites. Graphics 45 has this great paper pad that is all vintage circus images.

Making these made me want some warm peanuts and popcorn. Maybe some cotton candy too!

I'm not sure if I could stand watching captive animals perform for people any more, but I do remember how awed I was by the circus when I was a kid.

As an adult, Cirque du Soliel has become an annual tradition. We're going to take Dylan next year and I can't wait to see the look on his face!

That's it for today. I'll be back with more....stay tuned...

From This, to ...

2011-04-11T18:11:00.000-07:00

Ahhh... A whole weekend of papercrafting!

That's right, I packed up some of my stuff (see first pic) and headed on down to Eugene to spend the weekend papercrafting with my mom. Just the girls.

Our tradition actually started with a whole group of friends getting together each November to make our holiday cards, drink, eat, stay up late and generally just have a great time. As the years have gone by, it's gotten harder to get us all together in one spot. Children, sporting events and geography have all eroded our tradition.

A couple of years ago, my mom and I decided to just get together ourselves. This last holiday season we decided that we should do another weekend in the spring to stock up on cards for all of the many other occasions that happen throughout the year. And that's what we did!

My neatly packed boxes ended up covering half of my mom's lovely kitchen. We set up on opposite sides of the kitchen island, and had another table as a cutting and embossing station. Totally cool!

My dad played it safe and went golfing :)

Over two days, I managed to make 36 cards. No two alike. I got to play with all my neat goodies that I've accumulated. There are not a lot of things that could make me as happy as making art for a whole weekend.

Except coming home to my boys at the end of it. They are so great about allowing me to do this periodically. And of course they had a very nice boy weekend - t-ball, cycling, pancakes...

I'll try to share the cards I've made over the next few posts. See you soon, thanks for visiting!

First Art Show of the Year for Dylanbug!

2011-04-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

Save the date! Come on out and have some fun, say hello, and enjoy the local artists. It's a great neighborhood with lots to do.

See you there!
Pam

Steampunk?!

2011-01-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

So, I'm pretty behind the times on certain terms used in the artsy/craftsy world. "Steampunk" is everywhere and has been for awhile. I know it when I see it, but couldn't really describe it. I know I love it.

So, I looked it up on Wikipedia (of course) and there are some great descriptions and references including: "Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as Victorians may have envisioned them; in other words, based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, art, etc"

So, when Graphics 45 came out with a paper line called Steampunk Debutante, I knew I had to check it out. I can't get enough of it!

There are so many possibilities with the vintage, metal, grungy elements. My imagination just won't stop. I've picked up a lot of weird little scraps of metal, chain, tarnished jewelry and buttons. I can use them all at once!

I love the colors on these images. Reminds me of bronze and copper with that green patina of age.

I'm especially attached to the circular design, but I put her in the store anyway. I know she'll go to a good home and whoever receives her will be thrilled.

Take care of yourselves, and don't forget to daydream a little today.

Funny Faces

2011-01-05T16:04:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Well, after a loooonnnggg hiatus, I'm back. The real job has been hopping and holiday festivities have kept us all busy around here. No time for art or blogging.

We had a lovely little winter vacation in Vancouver and Whistler, BC. We got to see some of the Olympic sport centers and even skied on the biathalon course! How cool is that?

Christmas was the usual lovely old-fashioned cozy time at my parents. They go to such lengths to make things wonderful for Dylan. Of course he just ate it all up.

I even had a little time to play with new art supplies and make a few things. How about these little guys?

I found these images on dafont.com. They have the most fun Dingbat fonts! I just enlarged a couple and printed them on kraft paper. Every time I look at them they make me smile.

They will be available in the store page shortly. If you want them, you'll have to hurry. I might steal the birthday one for a friend soon (wink).

I'll have more new treats in the store over the next few days, so keep your eyes peeled!

Here's hoping your new year starts off with a bang and just gets better.

Dylanbug at Siren Nation, Nov 7th, 11am to 5pm

2010-11-07T14:31:00.000-08:00

I'm at the Kennedy School today at the Siren Nation Art and Craft Sale. Lots of traffic, great vendors, food, beer and fun!

It's Been Awhile...

2010-11-05T17:55:00.000-07:00

Yes, the blog has been on hiatus for a couple of months. Many reasons for that...

My boys (big and small) were in a bicycle accident involving a car. Although their injuries were surprisingly minor, they are still recovering. The biggest outcome from the whole thing has been my renewed appreciation for both of them and the time we all spend together. What could have been a life-rending tragedy was somehow turned into even more love and a reminder of what is truly important in life.

My "real" job - owner of Compass Human Resources - has been amazingly busy lately. That is a wonderful thing. New clients, new projects, and new adventures.

And, we've been traveling and enjoying our larger family too.

All that said, where did the art go? Well, I've been making art here and there, and had a weekend card-making extravaganza with my mom last month. All in preparation for the Siren Nation Art Sale this Sunday at Kennedy School. Sorry I haven't posted any pictures - haven't had time to set things up, pose it, touch up the pics...

I hope to have some things up soon. Just wanted to say hello and that I'm still out here :)

A Special Gift

2010-08-31T10:46:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've posted. That's largely due to my "real" job getting very busy. New clients and new projects - yay!

But, I have been working on some art projects too, just a little more slowly than usual.

One of the things I've been doing is making a gift for a keynote speaker that will be appearing at a conference I'm involved with. The idea is to give him a handmade box filled with Bittersweet truffles.

This box is going to a gentleman who is a motivational speaker and professional magician. I had a blast designing and creating this box. Cobalt blue is one of my favorite colors to work with because it makes everything else pop.

I have a smaller prototype of this box that will be going up in my store soon. Speaking of which, thanks for being patient while I move things over from Etsy to this site. I have to take new pictures of some things and decide which inventory I want to put up in the new store.

I'll be back with another project soon. Meanwhile, enjoy what's left of summer!

Gardens and Such

2010-08-10T20:20:00.000-07:00

I've been working on an art project this week, but it's not quite ready for showing off yet. Funny how the day job can slow the creative process. So, I thought I'd show you a few pictures I took on a recent trip to Washington state.

I hope these intrigue, inspire, soothe, or provide you some simple pleasure. Thanks for stopping by...

What's Happening?

2010-08-09T15:10:00.000-07:00

Dylanbug had a blast at Hip Happening on Saturday. Where were you all? I got to hang with my pal Aimee all day. A little slow for sales, but had a great group of vendors and the neighborhood looked great. I got to take a break and sneak off to the antique mall for some treasures - thanks Minda!

Here are a couple of shots from the day. The light was horrible, sorry.

Dylanbug Display - crafty goodness!

Bittersweet was on hand with hand-rolled truffles and deelicious cookies

Hope to see you all next time around!

Something Just for Me

2010-08-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

Do you ever get so busy doing things for other people that you forget to be nice to yourself? I noticed it happening with my art. I'm always making things for friends and family, and for sale, but I rarely make anything that I intend to keep just for me.

Then along came a particular cigar box. Unvarnished, unrouted, unpretentious. A perfect rectangle with a slide top - no hinges or hardware to mar its lines. I have been collecting vintage wooden cigar boxes to store supplies in, but they are almost exclusively beveled or routed, and mostly varnished and debossed with the maker's logo. So this beauty was unusual.

I stared at it every day for a couple of months before an idea hit me out of the blue. The entire design came into my head fully finished. All I had to do was put it together.

The best part? It came together exactly like I imagined! That almost never happens. Things tend to evolve during the assembly process.

Now I can sit and look at this sweet little box every day and know it's just for my enjoyment. Now I just have to decide what to put in it!

Cupcake Inspiration Challenge #70

2010-08-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! It's another Sunday, and another Cupcake Inspiration Challenge. Perfect timing too.

Tinkerbell cuppies! And...a birthday for our neighbors' daughter who is turning 8 on Friday.

So, since Kate loves all things girlie - including fairies, mermaids and butterflies, this was serendipitous.

I decorated this cute little wooden gift "bag" with sprites on all sides. And made a card to match. Kate's pretty sophisticated for her age, so I didn't want to do the whole Disney thing for her.

Besides, I like to believe that there are little sprites and magical creatures in the plants and trees. Lord knows none of mine are staying alive due to my ministrations. The nature fairy images appealed to me and just seemed to work so well.

I'll let you know how these go over with the birthday girl.

Thanks for visiting!

Celebrations

2010-08-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

Summer time around our house is generally chaotic. Full of trips, family get-togethers, and social outings. There are so many family and friend birthdays that I can barely keep up with the card-making!

Making cards and gifts for the people I care about is one of my very favorite things. Because I know them, and can challenge myself to craft something that will make them smile.

When I'm making things to sell, I have to balance my imagination with whether or not the ingredients and labor will be regained in the price. But, when I'm creating for family and friends, none of that matters. I can indulge and break out all of my fun supplies.

The mad dash to finish things is slowing down, but I still have a couple of projects to show you over the next few days.

Thanks for stopping by, now go out and enjoy the sun!

Hip Happening, August 7th!

2010-08-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Dylanbug will have some awesome new treats, come check them out!

Baby Shower

Wedding

Birthday

Friendship

Just Because

Gifts, Gifts, Gifts!

Flights of Fancy

2010-07-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

Have I said before how difficult I find it to make things for guys? We'll I decided to make a true effort. I picked up some papers with compass designs ages ago, and just hadn't found the right elements to really grab me.

Then I found some hot air balloon images, and it all clicked. What really did it was finding canvas that you can print on with an inkjet printer. Office Depot, who knew? Although it says to print on the bright white side, I opted to ignore that and try printing on the more natural uncoated side. Guess what? It worked just great and had more of the vintagy look that I was hoping for.

I'm really proud of how these came together. Gives me a little more confidence in approaching the less frilly side of what I do :)

Thanks for stopping by. I'll try not to be so far between posts in the coming days.

Cupcake Inspiration Challenge #69

2010-07-30T16:17:00.000-07:00

Hello after a month. A MONTH! How time flies when I'm madly making inventory for craft shows, gifts, etc.

I skated in by the skin of my teeth for this week's Cupcake Inspiration Challenge.

This was so simple and perfect that I really didn't deviate from the cake at all. Just put some of my favorite materials to good use.

Don't you just love the flower? I am having a great time with the new Tim Holtz Tattered Florals dies, and with grunge board. The board is soft enough to emboss, but sturdy enough to take paint without wrinkling.

The Tim Holtz Shabby Vintage paper stack is also so cool that you don't need to do anything to it. I just stamped the stem and sentiment from my The Simple Things set and I was done.

Hope you're loving the sunshine as much as I am. Enjoy!

Lullaby and Goodnight

2010-06-25T13:45:00.000-07:00

Lately it seems like I'm seeing brand new bundles of joy everywhere. Maybe it's just that my son had his first "big boy" haircut this week. It was his own decision to get a buzz cut - a definite style choice for him. It made me realize that the days of cuddling are slipping away. Yes, they'll be replaced by new and fascinating reasons to be proud and love that boy even more. But, as a mom, that dependence on me is hard to let go.

On the other hand, there are new babies in our family, and friends who will have new additions later this year. Which means I can cuddle and coddle without losing sleep, changing diapers, and worrying about every new irregularity in their lives.

If you have growing ones of your own, enjoy them to the fullest. If you don't, borrow one! Let a baby fall asleep on your lap and all the stress of the world just melts away. It's better than Valium, I tell you!

Have a wonderful weekend. Thanks for stopping by.

She Sells Sea Shells...

2010-06-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

What do you think of when you think of the beach? Sunshine? Sandcastles? Sunscreen? Laughter, long walks, sand between your toes?

I'm not much of a sunbathing person, so I love the beach here in the Pacific Northwest. It's wild and windy, and rugged. I even love it when it rains - you get wide stretches without other people. Free to roam and let your thoughts stretch where they will.

It's the kind of landscape that means many things to many people...

Most of all, it's a place for us to be free, and close to Mother Nature in one of her most powerful forms. Ah, nothing says "summer" quite like sand and surf.

Wherever you wander, be safe and be happy. Thanks for stopping by.

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod

2010-06-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

Wynken, Blynken and Nod one night sailed off in a wooden shoe.
Sailed on a river of misty light into a sea of dew.
"Where are you going and what do you wish?"
the old moon asked the three.
We have come to fish for the herring fish
that live in this beautiful sea.
Nets of silver and gold have we
Said Wynken, Blynken and Nod.

Here's to daydreams, flights of fancy, and sweet imaginings of every kind...

Growing Things

2010-06-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

I have a wonderful friend with a passion for growing things. Her yard is a bounty of edible beauty. Every time I see it, I'm envious of the space and the sunshine. Something in short supply at my house! Big trees in old neighborhoods come at a cost.

My friend has been having some sad times the last week or so, and I wanted to make something special for her.

I hope that when my friend looks at this, she will always know that I'm thinking of her.

Enjoy the sunshine when it stops by, and remember the rain makes things grow!

Inspiration Avenue Challenge

2010-06-15T18:36:00.000-07:00

Each week, Inspiration Avenue challenges artists of all flavors to create something around a particular theme. This week's challenge was "wish". I finally had a chance to play along.

What came to my mind was something from my childhood - the Disney family special that aired every Sunday evening at 7pm. That lovely little song about wishing on a star.

Go out tonight and look at the sky,

and wish for what your heart desires,

You never know, it might come true.

Snakes and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails...

2010-05-28T15:43:00.000-07:00

Once again I found myself stumped on cards for boys. This seems to be a common problem for my card-making colleagues everywhere.

Well, yet again the craft store bargain bin comes to the rescue. How cute is this little guy?

I've also been hoarding these cool little mosaic tiles. They're rubber and shimmery.

All I had to add was some Rock Star paper and chip board. And a little pastel gel pen. Bam! There you go.

I might even try the same theme for a rocker girrl card too.

Well, it's a long weekend, and as the lizard says "let's party!" Have a great time with friends and family, or just chillin' with your own self :)

Simple Things

2010-05-27T18:09:00.000-07:00

Every once in awhile, I feel inclined to try and make art that is simpler and cleaner. Most times I can't resist adding a bit more. I envy people who can be minimalist in their designs. Guess it's just the collage in me trying to get out!

These new stamps from Michelle's store made me want to try again to dial things back.

Aren't these stems great? The flowers and leaves are different stamps so you can combine them however you like.

The giant rick rack is hand-dyed. I picked it up at a craft show last month and really love how the color is very subtly varied.

I used the same colors on the next card. The turquoise and brown look so nice. It's one of my favorite combinations. The sentiment is from the same stamp set, the image is StampinUp! dry embossing, and the trim I got from SCRAP.

This is about as minimalist as I'm comfortable with :) I tried not putting the trim on, really I did!

Oh well, what girl can resist a little sparkle, right?

Hope you all have a "simply" wonderful evening.

Treasures from SCRAP

2010-05-23T16:01:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to have finally discovered a local treasure trove just a few blocks from our house. I've long been meaning to check out a place called Scrap where people and business donate all sorts of odds and ends. You and I can buy them for pennies! And the inventory changes all the time, so you get to discover things every time you visit. If you're an artist this place is heaven!

Check out what I got for $10:
Drapery fabric sample books for a buck each;
An entire Coke promo movie reel for 75 cents;
Beaded trim, photo slide frames; seed packets and a pair of pinking sheers for $5!

If you live in Portland, you should definitely stop by Scrap if you get a chance. You can find some really inspiring items and support a non-profit at the same time.

I'll be back with some things created with my new treasures.
Have a great Sunday!

Guys are Tough

2010-05-13T13:39:00.000-07:00

And not necessarily in the macho sense of the word. May and June bring an overabundance of occasions for guys in our family: father's day, birthdays, etc.

It's so easy to make things for girls, you know? All that ribbon, and those flowers. Glittery things and pretty paper.

When it's time to make something for a guy, it eliminates about 90% of my supply stock, and severely tests my creativity.

But, Tim Holtz has become my hero once again. Not only is he inspiring on a daily basis, but he's a guy - duh! And he designs the most perfect things! Currently, his Lost and Found paper pad and Salvage Stickers have come to my rescue.

All three of these cards use some of his great materials. And I just couldn't resist the Pop card - it was too obvious, wasn't it?

I'll be back tomorrow with a couple more things for the males in our midst.

Take care and enjoy the sunshine!

A Glorious Mother's Day

2010-05-10T16:52:00.000-07:00

I hope all of you mothers out there had a wonderful day yesterday. Mine couldn't have been sweeter.

My boys cooked me breakfast - cinnamon swirl french toast and bacon. Then we had a laid-back morning.

Mid-day we went to Crystal Springs Garden along with several hundred other mothers and their families. We ate lunch outside at Otto's Sausage Kitchen. Then I finished off my day with a 2 hour massage - heavenly!

The day was gorgeous. We broke out the grill for it's first outing of the season. Here are a few pictures from Crystal Springs:

I love the bridge and willow trees.

My boys.

Duck, duck, goose!

Bottoms up!

Hope your Monday has been a good start for your week.
Thanks for stopping by...

Expanding Horizons

2010-04-28T14:59:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been two weeks since I've posted. But...I haven't been idle. I decided to intentionally make something to hang up as real art. It was so much fun to play with materials that I can't use on cards - gel medium, paint, big fat found objects.

They say practice makes perfect, so I'll trying more of these. They'll be up in my etsy store soon.

Hope life is treating you all kind.

Thanks for stopping by!

Delicious Door Hangers

2010-04-13T14:44:00.000-07:00

Ok, not delicious in the literal sense - unless you're one of those kids who ate paste in grade school.

These are about 5 inches tall, and can hang on doorknobs, walls, or just about anywhere. You could even write a message on the back and give them as gifts.

I'll have these and many more gifty goodies at Last Thursday on Alberta this month. April 29th in front of Garnish at 15th and Alberta. Come visit!

Have a wonderful day!

Gift Box Confections

2010-04-12T15:14:00.000-07:00

I've been feeling notalgic for a time in which I never lived. A time when the presentation of a thing was every bit as important as the thing itself.

If a 17th century nobleman was giving his mistress some bejeweled trinket, would he deliver it in this?

And can't you just imagine a royal dispatch from Louis arriving protected by this?

Now the only question is, "what will they deliver in this day and age"? Hmm....

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T18:40:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter everyone. I hope you've been enjoying the day surrounded by people that you love and feeling thankful for the good things in life.

Wishing you everything wonderful.

Back to Reality

2010-03-31T12:02:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've posted. My husband and I took our son, Dylan, on his first trip to Disneyland last week. Two days in Disneyland, three at Legoland. It was so wonderful to experience everything through the eyes of a 4-year-old. All of the ticky tacky elements melt away and you can't help but be immersed in the fantasy of it all.

The sore feet, aching backs, and sensory overload were completely worth it when the magic finally hit Dylan. Sitting on the concrete sidewalk of California Adventure, waiting for the electrical parade to start. As the first float rounded the corner, Dylan's little hand grabbed mine and he bounced up and down while he squealed, "Look, Mommy, it's Tinkerbell. AND SHE'S REAL!!!" That was it. Blissed out. Magic.

Photo Challenge

2010-03-18T18:59:00.000-07:00

Melissa Phillips has come up with another great photo challeng to play along with. She's taken another simply beautiful picture from A Creative Mint as our inspiration.

These colors are just so cool and relaxing to me. Makes me think of peonies.

I have two friends who are on my mind this week for various reasons, so I decided to use this to inspire cards for them.

The flowers are K&Co die cuts and they came in such bright pinks that I had to use them for this.

The stamps are all from Unity - Regal Greetings, thanks Michelle!

Enjoy the sunshine and all of the flowers that are sprouting around us right now.

Oh, and don't forget the allergy pills!

Have a great evening.

Old World Imaginings

2010-03-17T12:34:00.000-07:00

So, I've been reading historical fiction lately. The book is set in 18th century England and France. There are very vivid descriptions of once-lavish palaces being left to disuse as the formerly rich families fall on economic hard times. My creativity has been leaning toward the vintage French flea-market feel. Tarnished metal and dim crystal, etc.

You couldn't pick a more perfect image for my mood than my new Unity Stamp set - Regal Greetings. I've also been experimenting with mixing different embossing powders together to make custom colors. I wanted a really tarnished metal look for this card. So I mixed 3 parts clear EP with 1 part Zing Gold EP. I stamped the image with black pigment ink and heat embossed. The result was fantastic!

Hard to catch in a photo, but the gold sort of puddled and seeped into the clear, and the black showed through.

Gold leaf pen and some bling added just the right elegance to the whole thing. Sigh...

How cool would it have been to live in a big French palace with acres of gardens and obsene amounts of gilt and filigree everywhere?

(Without the bothersome small pox, plague and pestilence of course.)

Have a wonderful day everyone. Enjoy the luxuries of the 21st century!

Cards for Auction

2010-03-10T17:41:00.000-08:00

Our neighbor's daughter attends an art-focused elementary school. They're having their annual auction and she asked if I would contribute something.

After much futzing around, I decided on a vintage/distress/glittery kind of floral thing. Here's what it ended up looking like.

The other day I had some extra time to cruise around the craft store and explore areas that I normally don't go through - sewing and floral. Nothing much in the sewing area except a pair of scissors way too expensive for my budget.

The floral section turned up some nice surprises, though. Along with a lot of green foam, wire and tape, I found lovely tiny birds and nests. Miniature eggs, butterflies and lots of moss. I also found a roll of burlap. 10 yds for 3 bucks! Now I'm dreaming up all kinds of things to do with it :)

What do you think of these cute little frames? Guess what? They're not really made to be frames. They're tag rims. Saw them in the clearance bin and wondered why couldn't I just glue them right on the card?

The trick to getting all of these weird textures to stick together turned out to be Mod Podge. I used clear gel glue to get the frames to stick, though.

I also found a new use for my Cuttlebug plates - I laid them on top of the cards until everything was dry. Kept it all nice and flat.

I just love how strange bits and pieces can come together to create something wonderful.

Have a wonderful evening. Thanks for stopping by.

Cigar Box Project

2010-03-05T12:53:00.000-08:00

Hi all. A couple of days ago I told you that I was creating a cigar box for a gradeschool auction. Well, I finished it today and just couldn't wait to show it off!

I decided to go with a garden theme. Everything you see on top of the box is made from paper - except the dragonfly. He came from the craft store along with the tiny flowers. The roses are ones I made by hand. The butterflies are German scrap on a cardstock base.

I used an antique chandelier crystal for the pull to open the box.

Yes, the dragonfly is "floating" over the "water". Isn't he just great?

I had so much fun making this over the past week. What you can't see - and what really makes the box - is how shimmery the whole thing is. There is glitter on the "stream" and Glimmer Mist on the flowers and greenery.

The box will be filled with gardening gloves, seeds, a windchime and an apron. It's going to be tough giving this away - it's the most ambitious project I've done yet.

I guess that means I'll have to make another one, right?

Have a lovely weekend, everyone. If the sun is shining where you are, enjoy it and all the bright, shiny new things sprouting all around.

Lilybean Blue and Pink Photo Challenge

2010-03-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks, Melissa, for another great inspiration from Creative Mint.

I was loving the blue in this photo. And the pink gave me a chance to use some of my new K&Co die cuts. Can't believe you get a package of 178 die cuts for $5. My favorite thing is to open the package and spread them out all over my craft table and just admire them for awhile.

This is the card that I came up with. I tried putting it together all nice and symetrical, but that's just not my thing, is it?

You're seeing hot pink lokta paper, some DP, some blue CS embossed and inked, and some seam binding (love it more than ribbon, thanks Melis). Someday I will figure out the secret to Melissa's lovely bows!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Lokta Paper Flowers

2010-03-04T16:50:00.000-08:00

I finally got to sit down last night and play with my new paper. I got several great colors of handmade lokta paper. It's heavy in weight, but very soft. The colors are vibrant and the texture is just wonderful.

I made some small flowers that will be part of my cigar box project, which you'll see in a few days. I tried making the flowers in a larger size. The small ones look sweeter, but I think the large ones would be nice in a bouquet.

Birds and Butterflies

2010-03-03T16:50:00.000-08:00

It's a sad day for me...
I just discovered (probably belatedly) that my absolute favorite paper in the world has been retired. Let's have a moment of silence for Basic Grey's Periphery.

So, although I'm hoarding my stash of said paper, I did make a couple of cards to pay my respects.

If you like pretty seam binding, you should check out 5 Dollar French Market. You'll be in seam-binding bliss!

Sigh...combining this paper with black elements always looks so elegant to me.

I'm off to work on a special project for an auction at our neighbor's grade school. Our assignment is to decorate and fill a cigar box. I've gotten so far as to cover the box with Gesso. Tonight I start on the fun stuff.

Have a wonderful evening. Thanks for stopping by!

Cupcake Inspiration Challenge #48

2010-03-02T11:03:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I played along with the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge from Hope Stamps Eternal. This week's cakes were so cute and really appealed to the "spring-iness" I've been feeling.

How about those berries?

You've gotta love Webster's Pages. They had just the right lattice-work design that looked very country kitchen to me.

The berries are hot pink lokta paper sprayed with Indian Corn Glimmer Mist. And I finally found a use for those odd green Primas - cut 'em in half and use them for berry tops!

Well, enough of this silliness - I do have a "regular" job that I should be doing. Just wanted to take time to play along and wish you all a great day.

Thanks for stopping by...

Lilybean Photo Challenge

2010-03-01T14:59:00.000-08:00

One of my very favorite designers, Melissa Phillips, does an informal challenge based on a photo by Creative Mint.

Orange is not a color I use very often, but this pic was just delicious. So I gave it a shot.

I had imagined something very much more white and orange - clean. But, as usual, things evolved as I was creating. This paper has been hanging around waiting for me to figure out what to do with it. I'm still not sure what the verdict is in my mind.

If you're looking for some inspiration, check out the Creative Mint blog - her photos are just wonderful.

Yesterday a package arrived with my order of yummy new handmade paper. I have something special planned for it, so stay tuned...

Wherever you are, enjoy the budding flora, and have a wonderful day.

An Early Spring?

2010-02-28T18:14:00.000-08:00

Dylan and I went on a walk around the 'hood last week on one of the sunny days. Just wanted to share some of the loveliness...

Americana Tags

2010-02-11T16:02:00.000-08:00

My mind is full of Valentine's and Easter basket ideas. I love to put beautiful tags on my gift baskets, so here are a few that I made. The rooster and the horse use my new favorite papers by Webster's Pages.

I did not cut out the shapes myself. I found some really cool heavy kraft tags at a gift store downtown. They were already cut into ducks, bunnies, roosters and horses. All I had to do was cover them with paper and embellish them.

You can see individual pictures in the new store area. Click on the link above this post called "Get The Goodies".

Thanks for stopping by!

Craft Area Makeover

2010-02-08T20:35:00.000-08:00

It's been a month since I last posted anything. Why? Busy, busy. My day job has been really busy, which is great - billable is good! And my company, Compass Human Resources, was a sponsor at the Green Professionals Conference here in Portland. So, I haven't had much time for crafting lately.

In the small amount of free time that I've had, I embarked on a giant re-organization of all my crafting stuff. Up 'til now, my storage has been very slapdash at best. So, I took some of that profit from my day job and made some investments in organization - shelves and bins for the closet, and an EZ View Craft Desk. OMG! This thing is the Mercedes of craft tables. I just sit and stare at it :) So, without further adeu some pics...

How cool is this? You can see through the top into the divided drawers.

The insides of the doors have felt backing and tons of little zip pouches that Velcro onto them. The left side has deep shelves.

The right side has external shelves and canvas drawers. The big ones are 12"x12". Perfect for punches, tools, etc.

This is just a pic of the new closet shelves. The little trolley to the right is filled with embellishments. Yes, it's full.

This is just the beginning of figuring out the ribbon situation. This is about half of what I have. The most-used is in these StampinUp containers, which I Velcroed to the wall. I can pull them off whenever I want.

I am in crafting heaven! Still a bit of work to do with some wall shelves so I can put all of my cute glass bottles and vintage cigar boxes up. But, the bulk of it is done.

Whew! Now I just need some time to craft :)

Feeling Vintage-y

2010-01-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

I'm just getting over a whopper of a cold, so the narrative on this post might be a little short. Hard to get my brain engaged. But, I have been being creative. I picked up some new Webster's Pages paper, and I'm in love. Those plus some vintage-inspired digital art equals...

Some of the things that are hard to see: German glass glitter on the gate and the clouds, gold leaf paint on the swirls, 3D multiple layers on the images.

I had so much fun making these, and am going to make some Easter cards next.

There's something very nostalgic going on with my mojo. Maybe wishing for simpler times when a certain elegance was expected in everything people did...

Cupcake Inspiration Challenge #41

2010-01-11T17:16:00.000-08:00

HSE's Cupcake Inspiration Challenge hit me this week, so I decided to participate.

I took my inspiration from those great colors as well as the little tags on the top of the cakes.

There's a whole lot of K&Co going on in this card. Extra Distressed Ink on the background paper to really "somber it up". I couldn't resist the little teardrop bling.

Sorry I'm short on time today. Thanks for stopping by!

Lovey Dovey

2010-01-04T16:58:00.000-08:00

I was having a good day today with my artsy mojo. I installed a new piece of software today that has oodles of art graphics. These two little birds really caught my eye and I decided to build a card around them.

I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder with some Basic Grey patterned paper, then brayed the design with distressed ink. It created a ghostly mysterious-looking background. Much cooler than I thought it would turn out.

The music paper is handmade, and when I painted the back with Diamond Glaze, it got very soft and pliant. Then I just scrunched it a little and pressed it onto the front of the card.

The sentiment and flower die cut are from K & Co. I popped up the birds and flowers, then used my Patina Stickles to circle the birds.

I don't know if I'll be able to put this one in the craft show next month, it's too cute!

Happy Monday, thanks for visiting.

Cool Art Store Find

2010-01-02T13:51:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite gifts this holiday was a certificate to my much-adored art store, Collage. I re-stocked some necessities, but I also found these handmade polymer clay buttons. I believe they were the result of one of their classes. Just what I was looking for to make some non-traditional Valentine cards.

Isn't this great? The button is about 1.5", so it really stands out on a card.

All I did to it was edge it with a Krylon gold leaf paint pen for some elegance. I did the same to the metal word sticker (it was originally silver).

The finished card turned out pretty well. Something suited to a guy, which is always a challenge for me.

That's it for today. I'm hoping to get a bit of time this weekend to do more crafting. So many ideas, so little time :)

Thanks for stopping by!
Have a great day.

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T12:49:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone. I took a little break over the holiday, but I'm back with some nifty new cards. I'm preparing for a show in early February, so it's time to stock up on birthday, Valentine's, and general cards.

Here are some I made over this week:

I decided to experiment with being more minimalist. At the same time, I've got a sort of shabby, artsy mojo going right now, so I wanted to indulge that too.

So, I've got some sparkly handmade paper scraps, and vintage French textbook pages. All of the edges are inked with Vintage Photo distressed ink.

This bird card was really fun to make. I used a German foil doorway and backed it with white CS. I sponged on blue and yellow ink to resemble a sunny day. The birdcage is Cavallini and Co, and the bird is Inkadinkadoo. I popped up the cage so it has some dimension.

The ballon on this birthday card, as well as the sentiment are from SU! A little copper wire for a string, and poof! Easy card.

A little Valentine's action on this next one. I cut a heart out of one of my Rockstar paper pad scraps with hot pink foil lips. I look at these papers thinking how cool they are, and wondering where in the heck I'll ever use hot pink lips! Well, here you go.

Thanks for stopping by. Be sure to come back tomorrow because I have some really neat things to show you - art store finds!

Enjoy the day!

Gift Boxes Galore!

2009-12-20T10:59:00.000-08:00

I loved my first attempt at a gift box so much, that I decided to make more. I had also been itching to try the paper flowers that Tim Holtz showed in his blog last week. Combining the two turned out some glorious little boxes.

For this box, I made the flowers out of handmade paper with a sheet music design. The paper is thinner than what Tim's tutorial called for, but worked just great. The edges of the petals are inked with Vintage Photo Distressed Ink, and lightly painted with Platinum Stickles.

I painted the box with white acrylic paint and embossed the SU! Baroque Motifs with black EP. The black powder didn't stick as well as the gold in my previous project, but it gave a nice vintage-y look.

The finishing touch was a piece of vanilla ribbon.

These flowers look difficult, but once I did one practice attempt, they were pretty easy. The biggest tip I can offer is to be sure to let the adhesive dry completely betweens steps so that the pieces don't come apart during assembly. Take your time!

This next box is the same technique, just different colors. The flower is again handmade paper with a gold foil design. More Vintage Photo Distressed Ink, and some Crystal Stickles.

The box is red acrylic paint. This time I used my Close to My Heart "Adorable" stamps. The small paisley swirl was a perfect fit. And my favorite gold embossing powder - Zing Gold Glitter.

Finishing touches - white grosgraine bow, and Prima leaves.

These flowers are just the best! Thanks Tim!

And thank you for stopping by! Happy Holidays.

Altered Gift Box

2009-12-18T17:03:00.000-08:00

Seems like everyone is getting into the altered objects for the holidays. Last night I was awake for hours designing a gift box in my head. Today I decided to actually try to do what I was imagining. And, wonder of wonders, it turned out just as I'd hoped!

This started as one of those little $1 unfinished wood boxes from the craft store. I painted it with white acrylic paint inside and out. The little panel behind the glass comes out, so I painted it, added some glitter and a satin rose, then put it back in.

I used my SU! Baroque Motifs stamp and embossed the florishes with gold glitter embossing powder. The sentiments were stamped with black ink then embossed with black embossing powder.

The cool thing about this box is that it looks like it should take a long time to make, but it only took about an hour start to finish. If you use the heat tool to dry eveyrthing in between steps, it goes really fast.

Some of you know how much I love boxes, so it's going to be tough giving this one away :) Guess I'll just have to make some more!

Thanks for stopping by!

Re-using a Store-Bought Card

2009-12-13T11:20:00.000-08:00

My friend Michelle made a super cute card using parts of a store-bought one she recieved. I thought it was a great idea, and decided to try it. Last year I recieved the most adorable bunny card and saved it just because I liked it so much. I cut out the bunny image and used it on the front of the card.

A couple of years ago I discovered that the Cuttlebug "Tiny Bubbles" embossing folder also works great for a snow theme. I used it here for the background with some SU! White Naturals paper.

The forest green ribbon really added some pop, and since the bunny has such big ears and looks so attentive, I added a Tim Holtz idea-ology tag. I've been hording them because they're so cool, but you buy them to use them, right?

Also taking a cue from Michelle, I salvaged a portion of the image to use on the inside of the card. Decorating the inside is not something that I normally think of, but this turned out nice.

I just cut around the image and used the original bottom border, then stuck it to the card. Easy!

Thanks for stopping by. I'm off to finish addressing my outgoing holiday cards...

Holiday Tag

2009-12-10T11:02:00.000-08:00

Tim Holtz' "12 Tags of Christmas" series did, in fact, inspire me! Ever had one of those projects that starts out as one idea, then takes on a life of its own? That's what happened to me. And I think it turned out much better than what I originally planned.

I started off by attaching some Basic Grey "Mistletoe and Pear" paper to a manilla tag. Then I embossed the flourish with Winter Wonderland embossing powder, and the sentiment with silver embossing powder.

Then I sponged some Walnut Stain distress ink over the sentiment and edges of the card. It did make the images stand out a bit more, but the silver is still a little light. I used a baby wipe (thank God for Huggies!) to dab the ink off of the embossed images.

The metal medallion came from Cathy's Jewels, and I used a scrap of ball chain to attach it to the bow. Last of all, I put a rhinestone snowflake right in the middle of the medallion circle.

This was pretty fun, but took awhile to get just right. I probably wouldn't do this for all of my gift tags :)

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

Cupcake Challenge #36

2009-12-07T13:29:00.000-08:00

I decided to participate in the HSE cupcake challenge again this week. Here is what Rachel has for us:

The raspberry color really got me. It just looks so delicious!

I don't use pink paper all that much, so I had to dig out a stray piece of SU! which I think is Rose Red.

Please click on the picture because you can see that I used a French textbook page as the background and painted it with white acrylic paint to mute it.

My favorite SU! Chocolate Chip appears as ink and CS. The leaves are from a Prima holiday tin that I bought a couple of years ago.

The brown lace came from an antique store, and the green cord came from Joanne's dollar bin.

The overall card shape was done with my new Nesties scalloped circle die set. I had some trouble getting it to cut through 2 layers of SU! cardstock, so I cut a premade white card, then glued the pink circle to the top.

Have a fabulous week, and thanks for stopping by!

Cupcake Inspiration Challenge #35

2009-11-29T14:19:00.000-08:00

I've finally gotten up enough nerve to play along this week. I cannot believe that anyone would seriously eat this cupcake!

This is just so great! I love snowmen, so that's what my first card is from.

The DP is something that I got out of a bin, and I'm not sure of the company - if I was guessing, it might be Graphics 45. The edges are distressed and I backed it with SU! Chocolate Chip.

The snowman is actually a rub-on from the glass crafting section of Michael's. Looks equally great on kraft paper.

The sentiment is Inkadinkadoo, embossed in SU! Chocolate Chip.

This second card was inspired by the color scheme of silver and blue.

The DP is Basic Grey from my Mistletoe and Pear pad. It's backed with SU! Night of Navy.

The stamp is a very old holly stamp that my mother gave me ages ago. I seem to use it every year in a new way. This year I embossed it with Stampendous! EP in Sapphire pearl.

For bling, I added some crystal Stickles to the berries and silver pearls to the corners.

Happy holidays, everyone! Thanks for letting me play!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T13:56:00.000-08:00

Today I've put together my perfect version of the fabled cornicopia (horn-of-plenty for the less pretencious). Below are just some of the reasons I like to shop for craft "supplies" at antique stores. I especially love the ones that are consignment stores with lots of boothes. My favorite finds:

Yards of velvet ribbon and lace for less than a dollar per card.

Grab bags of buttons (I love coming home and sorting them).

And a jar full of random small charms and decorations - one price for the whole jar. And you get a really cool jar too!

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend surrounded by people you love, great football, and too much food!

Flock Together

2009-11-18T19:59:00.000-08:00

I seem to have a thing for birds lately. Or maybe it's just the super cool Inkadinkadoo stamp set of birds.
This little guy came with the set and I've been waiting for the mood to strike me so I could use it. The tree branch stamps in white ink are also from another Inkadinkadoo set of branches. There's something about white on kraft that really appeals to me.

The nifty letter stickers are from Making Memories and caught my eye because they're very shiny. Some simple pale green satin ribbon pulled things together. If you click on the pic you'll see the gold bead accents on the owl's tummy and eyes. That extra shine really pops!

Hope you're having a great week. Thanks for visiting!

Birds of a Feather

2009-11-16T18:21:00.000-08:00

Is anyone else feeling a little bummed what with the gloomy, windy weather and all? Me too! So, with a little help from Inkadinkadoo, here's some brightness for your day.

I got happy with the sapphire embossing powder and my cardstock scraps. The text paper is from a vintage French textbook that I found at an antique store and inked with white ink. A little dollar-bin bling and I was smiling again.

Thanks for stopping by!

Coffee Time!

2009-11-13T16:01:00.000-08:00

I am just super proud of these cards.

I have these paper towels in the kitchen. Ever since I put them out, I've been trying to figure out how I could use the cute designs in a card. The problem is that paper towels are pretty fragile. It's tough to use adhesive with them. So, I tried a few things that didn't work. Then I hit on something that did. I decopaged the cut out designs onto heavy white cardboard (I cut up a mailer box with a smooth finish). I used Diamond Glaze as the glue. The cardboard didn't ripple, and the result was a hard, matte, pebbled finish. It feels like plaster and looks a bit like those sugar things you use to decorate cakes.

The ribbon is brown velvet that I got at an antique store in Sisters. I just love how these turned out. So, if you have weird things around the house just begging to be put on cards - go for it!

Thinking of Treats

2009-11-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

Aimee is making holiday treats. Lots of yummy desserts and candy. Which, I think, subconsciously inspired this card.

What you can't see very well in the pic is the layers. I took two strips of Basic Grey "Bittersweet" and cut the top around the designs. I placed one slightly higher than the other. The both layers are popped up with foam dots. Behind the DP is a layer of lace CS from KI Memories. At the very back is some lavendar CS that I embossed with flowers. I got all that done, and decided it just needed a little "something" else. That's when I got out my stash of metal word stickers from the $1 bins, and the "giggle" one seemed just right.

What a nice relief from the holiday stuff! Thanks for stopping by.

Non-Holiday Fun

2009-11-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd take a short break from the holiday stuff and show you some cards I did for Father's day this year. These are pretty typical of my "normal" style.

The card with the buttons was a little difficult to photograph. The background paper is handmade gold foil on black, very shiny. The buttons came from various antique store grab bags. The card with the stars has a vintage film strip attached. The card with the leaves has natural raw wool fibers - washed but not twisted into yarn. All of these are typical of the kind of thing I enjoy. My craft area is full of embellishments that come from just about everywhere. I don't stick to the scrapping area of the craft store. Antique stores are wonderful places! I can always find grab bags of weird items.

This One's for Michelle

2009-11-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

Michelle told me that she loves this card. Personally, I think it's the felt that's got her all giddy :)

This was a simple card to make. I used StampinUp! White Naturals paper in my Cuttlebug with the snowflake embossing folder. The sentiment came from an Inkadinkadoo set and I embossed it with opaque gold tinsel powder.

The felt ornaments are from Creative Impressions. I found them at Ben Franklin in Springfield, OR. They have lots of things that I haven't found here in Portland.

I've put a pic of the whole set of felt. Five each of six designs. What's shown in the card, plus the four others that I haven't done up yet.

They're not adhesive, so you have to use glue on them. I used a little Tacky Glue with a small paintbrush.

Are you sick of holiday cards yet? I am. I just got an order from a friend for 10 all-occasion cards, so I get to go back to doing one-of-a-kind for awhile. I'll start posting them as I get them done. Wouldn't want us to be all hum-buggy before Thanksgiving even gets here!

Take care and visit again soon.

I Love Inkadinkadoo

2009-11-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

I just love this card. Not because it's necessarily my best work, but because it came together like kizmet. My mom had this cool stamp from Inkadinkadoo. I had this old Basic Grey paper pad (Mistletoe and Pear). Can you see how the deer look almost identical? And, I had my favorite Old Olive CS from StampinUp!

A little Sakura Stardust pen, some silver beads, and ta!da!

Oh, and I had lots of fun making a mess with the distressing tool :) Why did it take me so long to discover that little doohickey?

I'm kind-of on a green thing today. But, had to show you another Inkadinkadoo stamp. Does this not look like something from Dr Seuss? Whoville must be missing a tree! The background is handmade paper from Creative Papers (link on the sidebar). It's really thick and the impression is deep, so lots of texture. I used it with StampinUp! Chocolate Chip CS and pigment ink. Some $1 bin bling and stardust markers. Very, very easy card.

All this whimsy and detail are why Inkadinkadoo is currently my favorite stamp co.

What Else Is Paper Good For?

2009-11-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

I told you all in an earlier post that I love paper. Here's something I did that isn't a card.

I have a teensy weensy addiction to handmade paper. There's a link in the sidebar to Creative Papers. They have the most wonderful paper ever! 100s of different materials, designs and colors from all over the world.

I bought some samples of Japanese paper. Samples because the big sheets are $7.50 each. Using DG3 craft glaze, I attached the paper to the back of a glass tile. I found some nice ones on Etsy that are flat on the back, and rounded on the front. No sharp edges. It took several coats of glaze on the back, drying in between for at least 24 hours. Then I attached a sterling silver bail, also from Etsy.

I've made a bunch of different ones and they're really fun. It's a nice break from cards, and a good way to use scraps. This also works with DP and book pages.

Thanks for visiting!

Photo Cards

2009-11-03T20:28:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone. My good friend Aimee was curious about how I use photos in my cards. So, I thought I'd post some that I've done over time. The best photos for cards that I've ever taken always seem to come from our trips to Arizona to visit Jim's parents. All that sun makes for cool pics.

The top two cards are pictures from Arizona. The bottom two are from the indoor gardens in Golden Gate Park, and the Carousel there too. For craft shows, I generally just do a straight-up photo card like the one with the butterflies. The others are ones that I've given to friends and family.

The Tower of Holiday Power

2009-11-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

Every year, a group of friends who make their own cards gets together for a weekend in the fall. Ostensibly to make our holiday cards. There is also usually a little drinking, a lot of eating, and bouts of "hunting and gathering" at the craft stores. No husbands and no kids. We gather at one person's house and stay up until all hours of the night crafting. It's a tradition.

Sadly, this year schedules did not allow us all to get together. So, I packed up my crates of swag (ahem, supplies) and headed to my parents' house in Eugene. Mom and I commandeered the kitchen island and set to work. Carrying on the tradition on our own. Not as rowdy as the usual crowd, but still super fun.

So, how many cards can I make in an uninterrupted weekend?

Thirteen sets of 6 = 78

Allowing for "hunting and gathering", eating, minimal sleep...a total of about 16 hours of work. Not bad. Now, I am preparing them for the craft show on Saturday, and I have to label and sign each card. Plus all the other goodies I'm selling. That part isn't as fun.

Here's a close-up look at one of the card sets:

Be sure to click on this pic to see some of the details. I cased the layout from my friend Michelle, who I think cased it from someone else. This is a great use of random found stuff. DP scraps, charms from a grab bag that I got at an antique store, cute crocheted snowflakes that used to be gift tags, and some gold bling from the discount bin at Michael's.

Sorry the pics are less than ideal. I'm still searching for that perfect spot in my house to photograph my cards. We have very little natural light, so it's a challenge. If any of you have good ideas about how to get great photos, let me know.

Happy crafting!

Hip Happening, November 7th - Crafty, Gifty Goodness

2009-11-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

Hey there! I'm so excited that Dylanbug is going to have a booth at Hip Happening this Saturday. It's a great craft and art show with very creative vendors, good food, and of course coffee (my favorite thing next to air).

I'm going to have holiday card sets, gift tag sets, and pendants. I'll also have a few all-occasion cards, but not as many as usual because I've been concentrating on holiday stuff.

Here are some "teasers" for you:

If you're free on Saturday, come on out to Sellwood and get some early holiday shopping done. And keep me company - it gets lonely in the booth sometimes ;)

The Inaugural Post

2009-11-01T12:36:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! Welcome to Dylanbug's first post. Since I'm in holiday card mode - getting ready for Hip Happening on November 7th - I've decided to post some of the cards I've made so far. A couple today and more in the days to follow.

Just a warning, I'm posting just to show people things, and I'm not always that great about writing down the "recipe" as I'm making things. So many things I use have come from discount bins, or are scraps from my DP stash. I am completely addicted to paper as you'll find out soon enough!

This little guy is part of a set that I made. There are three different snowmen. He's a rub-on that I found in the glass crafting area of Michael's. The sentiment stamp came from the $1 bin at Craft Warehouse - I borrowed it from my mom, so I'm not sure of the company. The DP is also from Michael's, and wouldn't you know it, I forgot to look at the vendor before I cut it up!

The colors on this one are really neat, the brown and aqua are not your typical holiday scheme, which I like.

Next up, some really neat gift tags. I looked high and low for a holly punch and couldn't find one anywhere. Then I stopped by my favorite local art store - Collage - and what do you know, they had a nifty punch by McGill.

I used my StampinUp! scalloped oval punch with some Target $1 striped DP, then punched the holly. I backed it with oval-punched forest green CS from Michael's. I topped it off with some Christmas Red Stickles for the berries. Very easy!