A Calendar

I have been acquiring the PTI Year of Flowers stamps over the past year or so.  My mother in law loves flowers and used to have a florist business so I thought I'd make her a desk calendar using all the YOF stamps.  I've been loving the look of coloring on kraft paper so that's the route I took.  I colored and punched the holes for the binding...right through some of the flower names!  So I cut strips of patterned paper to put across the top and went from there.  All in all, I love the way it turned out.  

 The front, the tab tucks under the "2013".

 I used very pale colors on an embossed Morning Glory, didn't do any shading and then stuck the die cut '2013' over.

 The tab folds under and creates an easel type stand.  There is a strip of kraft to hold the front in place.

 I didn't keep track of the Copic colors I used.  I know that I used the Special Edition ones because they were easy to keep on my desk. These are Carnations.

 Violets, if I do any more of these I think I'll try to put the flower titles in kind of the same place.

 Daffodils, I outlined everything in T3 for definition.  I also thinks it helps keep all the images cohesive.

 Sweet Peas. I like how these turned out.

 Lilies of the Valley; white colored pencil is great on kraft paper.  Gotta remember to do it AFTER all your Copic coloring is done.

 These Roses look like velvet in person.  So rich looking.

 Larkspurs

 I used the fluorescent purple, I think it's the truest purple.  The yellow in the middle of the flowers is with colored pencils.

 I like this stamp but don't really like the way I colored it.  I was trying to creat some highlights with white pencil but don't like how it came out.

 Marigolds; the darker more saturated colors are so rich looking on the kraft.

 Mums

 I know the reds for the Poinsettias came from the special edition set, the ketch pens with a brush tip and a fine tip instead of the chisel.  I layered YG over the greens to get that yelowish cast that poisettia leaves sometimes get.

Made by me.

Supplies for Calendar

Stamps:  Year of Flowers ; all 12 months(PTI)

Dies/Impression Plates: Calendar page, Limitless layers ovals (PTI)

Cardstock:  Kraft, New Leaf dots and stripes (PTI)

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black

Other: Copic Markers (a bunch), colored pencils 

Felting

 Felting.  So cool, I love knitting something, throwing it in the machine and seeing what I get.  I know that terrifies lots of you out there but I find it exhilarating. Lately I've been making bags and bowls.  I made a couple of purses a few years ago and just finished a bag that is perfect for those weekend trips that Craig and I go on. 

BEFORE FELTING

AFTER FELTING (Washed twice)

I had some yarn left over and used it to make a little bowl.  It looked remarkably like a hat before felting!

There is this great book called AlterKnits Felt by Leigh Radford that had a pattern for pot holders using a blister stitch.  

I made those (I had some trouble with the I-cord edging) and then adapted the pattern to make...

...a bowl!  I have one just like it in red and charcoal on the end table to hold my knitting notions.

Sigh...so much wool in so many colors and so little time.

I Love To Knit

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to knit.  I do it while watching TV, attending meetings and conferences.  I have a love affair with yarn, kind of like I do with paper.  I love how it looks and feels and I like to acquire it.  

The problem is that I have this fear that if I use it I'll never find it again.  That goes for yarn and paper both.  I am trying to force myself to use what I have, it is much, MUCH harder than it seems. 

These are the projects I have going as far as knitting goes. Every little bag (and bags in bags) is a project.  I think if you count all the handles you see and divide by 2, that would be about what I have going on now.  

Christmas Tags - Take 2

I got onto this Christmas Tag roll.  Rediscovered the Essential Glue Pad along with Glitter Ritz microfine glitter for some pizazz on these snow globes.

I stamped a bunch of the snow globe circles along with the Santa, tree and snowman inside with Memento Ink then colored everything in with Copics. After that I used the Essential Glue Pad to stamp the "Snow" part of the set on top of the colored design.  Sprinkled with glitter and ta-da! Too bad you can't really see the sparkle, it's there though.

The little bag they are in is die cut from a Tim Holtz die called 'In The Bag' using silver shimmer paper from PTI.  I seem to have this problem with the paper scoring too much so that is goes all the way through.  So I scored the bottom part of various Tag Sale dies and hooked that over and under where the bag is scored all the through.  Finished everything off with a  Holly die cut, some bakers twine and sparkly gems.  All that's wanting is someones name on the tag...

Supplies for Snow globe tags

Stamps:  Winter Snow Globe, Mistletoe and Holly(PTI)

Dies/Impression Plates: Mistletoe and Holly, Tag Sale #3 (both PTI), In The Bag (Tim Holtz)

Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White, Silver Shimmer (PTI)

Ink:  New Leaf, Aqua Mist, Pure Poppy (all PTI), Memento Tuxedo Black

Other: Copic Markers (R46,G43,Y35, R81, YR68, BOOO, E50, C1 and black Spica pen), red bakers twine, Queen & Co  Twinkle Goosebumps embellishments

Christmas Tags - Take 1

I love making Christmas tags.  I really loved Dawn McVeys idea of making a little gift out of 3 or 4 of them with their own cute little packaging.  So this is what I came up with first:

I had a hard time coming up with packaging that the tags fit into.  The pillow box was just a smidge too short and narrow so I used one of the Front and Center dies trimmed straight on the sides. I think these are going to go to my managers at work.

Supplies for "Best Wishes Tags"

Stamps:  2012 Christmas Tags, Over-Under-Easy: Holiday (PTI)

Dies/Impression Plates: Tag Sale #5, Limitless Layers 1-3/4" Circle, Limitless Layers 1-3/4" Oval, Limitless layers 2-3/4 ' Ovals, Front and Center #1

Cardstock:  Scarlet Jewel, Simply Chartreuse, Rustic Cream, Kraft, Holiday Flourishes and Swirls (patterned), Simply Charteuse Pattern 

Ink:  Simply Chartreuse, Scarlet Jewel, Kraft

Other: Clear Embossing powder, white Embossing powder, red bakers twine

Make It Monday #89

I loved the whole idea of this MIM.  Below is my own take using one of the unusual holiday color combinations from last months blog hop-Ocean Tides, Pure Poppy, Pinefeather and Rustic Cream. I like the dimensional look of the stamped off once holly leaves with the die cuts overlying.  Nifty.

I have been saving all the acetate sheets that PTI stamps come on forever and used that for the window.  I am also pretty in love with the clear powder embossing technique using Versamark and the PTI ink for color.  Theat's what is used on the sentiment inside.

Supplies for "Loveliest of Seasons"

Stamps:  Over-Under-Easy:Holiday, Mistletoe and Holly(PTI)

Dies/Impression Plates: Mistletoe and Holly, Limitless Layers 2-1/2" Circle

Cardstock:  Ocean Tides, Rustic Cream

Ink:  Pinefeather, Pure Poppy

Other: Clear Embossing powder, red bakers twine, Queen & Co  Twinkle Goosebumps embellishments