My Mind's Eye Challenge & A Sweet Gift for Cindy...

My Mind's Eye has Card Challenge #31 going on over at their blog, so I thought I would play along. I am recently obsessed with all the glitter MME has been using on lots of their papers.  Lost & Found II is so beautiful! I also adore the new FunDay Collections, I think I must have purchased every single bit of it. The kraft paper and the wood veneer banner pieces are the coolest! As for the card itself, the springboard for my creation is that of Anam Stubbington's amazing sketch. I used to work on her design team at Twisted Sketches, and I loved every second of it. Anam's designs always "push" me to a new level of thinking with my creativity. She always couples it with a theme to make it extra challenging. :)

My cousin Cindy's birthday was on Wednesday, and what a perfect excuse to create such an elaborate card. :) I used lots of different MME products to create this little gem...

MME Lost & Found II: Sunshine "Memories" Blossoms Paper, Rosy "Everything" Acrylic Stamps
MME Lost & Found Christmas: Peace Paper
MME Lost & Found: Union Square Brads
MME Kraft FunDay: Everyday Fun Wood Banners, Happy Days Die-Cut Borders

There is lots of layering on this card which includes machine stitching and foam dots for extra dimension. (I told you I would be showing off my new found sewing skills!) Love, love, love the feel of a sewn card. It has such a finished look that seems to "hold" everything together. :)

In addition to Cindy's card, I found this sweet "hat box" purse at an estate sale a year ago. I have been hoarding it since then to find the perfect way to update it with a little extra. I created the big flower on the front using burgundy and red dupioni silk. I did lots of layering underneath to give it a more rounded, realistic look. I also added a Webster's Pages Berry Bouquet & some black pokkadot feathers. On the inside I added a baroque frame around the mirror. I filled it with fluffy kraft krinkles and a journal with matching red houndstooth pencils for a finishing touch. I love the way the gift "ensemble" turned out. I know I get a little crazy with the way I coordinate my gifting, but to me the presentation is the most fun. :)

I thank you again for stopping by and always appreciate your comments. You all inspire me to continue doing what I do. Have a wonderful weekend and happy crafting!
Amy

All We Need Is Love @ Paper Issues!!!

 Valentine's is officially one month away, and what a great time to start preparing for the love!  Paper Issues' newest theme is "All We Need Is Love."  From now thru  February 14 we will be celebrating the upcoming holiday by featuring some "sweet" creations made by you!  Be sure to link up your images and share the love!  :)

To get your creative juices flowing, I would like to share with you some of my Valentine creations...


"Wings of Love" (pictured above) has to be one of my favorite mosaic creations I have made to date.  I made it a few years ago and thought I would share it with all of you!  Basically what initially inspired it was the very ornate embossed heart in the center.  It is the lid of an old ceramic jewelry box...one of my many treasured estate sale finds.  I created the wings from a vintage vase.  The background paper is from Paper Mojo.  The damask aqua & copper were the perfect dramatic backdrop.  Don't you agree?


 Also, here are two of some of my rather intricate Valentines I created this past year.  The XOXO card was created for a Valentine Swap.  The red heart on the wings is actually a functioning heart lock.  Isn't it the cutest?  The LOVE card I made for my husband.  You are probably wondering why I added the kelly green?  He loves all things Irish, and I thought it would add a nice personal touch.  :)

I hope to create lots of Valentines sweets to share with you over the next month.  Won't you share your sweets with us?  http://www.paperisssues.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by!

Amy

Sewing Love & ELEVEN83 Designs Giveaway!!!

I was at my mom's house the other day and decided it was time to just hang out and piddle around with her sewing machine.  There are lots of you creative geniuses out there who drive me nuts with your sewing capabilities, and I have been very anxious to "try" and sew on paper like many of you do.  I took home ec like 20 years ago and I don't recall anything about sewing other than it was extremely frustrating...needles breaking, string tangling up like crazy, sewing hideous darts and zippers.  No thanks! 

Basically I have not attempted to sew anything with a machine since then.  My mother is a sewing guru, so I have always just gone to her with any sewing projects.  Three years ago my mom got me a sewing machine for Christmas and I had yet to take it out of the box.  Yes you heard me right, three years!  After tinkering on her machine for 3 hours the other night, those days are over!  I just took it out of the box this morning, and I must say that it looks beeeuutiful!  I need to clean and better organize my craft area and find it the perfect home...permanently on my crafting table for quick access.  Plan to see lots of sewing on my creations in the near future...it is so addicting and fun!  Check out what I did on mom's machine the other day...I think I did a pretty good job following the curves if I do say so myself!  :)

Now onto the really good stuff!  I have a dear friend, Ms. Lindsi who is extremely creative and rather new to the blogging world.  I encouraged her to start a blog awhile back and she took the plunge!  Won't you stop by her amazing blog and show her some love?  Let's welcome her to this crazy blogging world we all live in!  :)  When you are there, be sure to check out her gorgeous Valentine's canvases...Valentine's canvases...she is giving away TWO of them!  Lindsi's blog is ELEVEN83 Designs.

That's all I have for now.  Stay tuned on Saturday, as we reveal the newest theme over at Paper Issues!
Amy

We've Got Your Number & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Paper Issues has unveiled the latest theme, "We've Got Your Number." What a perfect time for me to share another one of my most recent calendars. :)

Since Jack has been in Kindergarten, I have presented each of his teachers with a handmade calendar for Christmas. With Jack being in the 2nd Grade now, this is the 3rd one. Trying to get custom orders completed for the impending Christmas deadline, I always run short on time for this special gift. Jack really stressed as to whether I would get it done this year. It was two days before Christmas Break and I still hadn't even started it. To ease Jack's mind, I approached his teacher and told her that Jack would be bringing his gift to her the next morning. She smiled and said that she was really looking forward to it. (She had been told by Jack's 1st Grade teacher that the calendar she had received last year had to be the best teacher's gift she has received in 20 years of teaching!) Needless to say, I knew a gift certificate wouldn't suffice so I was determined to burn the midnight oil until complete.

I created this calendar using lots of my typical vintage ephemera with some scrapbooking pretties thrown in for extra color. The background paper is from the Rosy "Remember" Lost & Found Collection Two by MME. I LOVE the glittered damask border and the imagery at the bottom. When photographing the calendar, I really tried to capture the "sparkle" but unfortunately these photos don't do the paper justice. In addition to My Mind's Eye, I used some Jenni Bowlin, Pink Paislee, Maya Road, Prima, Fancy Pants & Martha Stewart to name a few.

I truly hope that Ms. Estes adores her new calendar. I know Jack was beaming upon presenting it to her, and that makes me happy. :)

As for Paper Issues, we would LOVE to see what you have to share! What do "numbers" mean to you? Please link up your projects here! Also, be sure to check out Paper Issues on Etsy. Loads of fun goodies currently on sale for 20% off! Just use code LOVE20 at checkout.

Thanks for stopping by; but most of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR'S 2012!!!

Merry "Belated" Christmas!

Hello Everyone! It seems like forever since I have shared with you on my blog. This month has been such a whirlwind of magic, excitement, memories & festivities. I hope yours has been just as wonderful!

Today I would like to share with you my Christmas Card creation for family & friends this year. It is a hybrid card if you will...both digital and hand created. The boys had a photo shoot back in September, and I knew right away this is the photo I wanted for the card. I have this overstuffed baroque frame and thought it would be fun to have them peeking through it. It is so fun and playful. As for the the beautiful imagery around the photo, that is from the uber talented Rhonna Farrer. I am absolutely obsessed with her designs...they are so full of details and intricate patterns. I used both the Christmas Junque Pieces Kit as well as the Christmas Word Art Brush Kit. I really hope that Rhonna comes out with this collection in paper /embellishment form like she did with the Daily Junque Collection this last year. That collection has to be one of my favorites. Ever.

As for the card, I basically took the electronic photograph and worked with the digital images to create the card. I printed on matte photo paper, and adhered kraft paper to the back for extra durability. I then printed extra birds with the hats as well as the "merry" flag. I fussy cut around the images and put foam dots under them to give the cards some extra dimension. I mailed them out in clear plastic envelopes. I am a fanatic when it comes to the clear envelopes....great for presentation and mailing....definitely will not go unnoticed! :)

Lastly, I wanted to share with you a picture of my "spooky" Santa as my son calls it. Everyone knows I am a nut for vintage anything, and my mom picked this dude up for me at a local antique store! He is from the early 1950's, from the Rushton Star Company. He looks to be from the same company that created Zippy monkeys. Did any of you ever have one of those sweet little guys? Talk about a blast from the past!

I will be back soon to share with you the calendar I created for Jack's teacher this year.
Have a safe & memorable New Years! May you create lots of wonderful memories! Love, Amy

PS, if you love the fluffy frame as much as I do, they are on sale over at Uncommon Goods! Regularly $50, they have them in purple and hot pink for $30!

I am a winner @ Two Peas & December Madness @ Paper Issues!!!

I am bursting with excitement! I have entered a few challenges in the past over at Two Peas & A Bucket and found out today that I have actually won for the Webster's Pages Challenge! :)

Not only will I receive $50 in Webster's Product, but this calendar is a custom order so that makes me even happier! My client had seen the "Out of Print" birdcage calendar I had done a few months back, and wanted one with more of a nature theme. After seeing Webster's "Botanical Christmas" Collection, I knew it would be perfect. The red bird on the right adds just the right touch I think. I fussy cut the bird out of one of my Cavallini Postcards and attached actual black/white polka dot feathers for extra dimension. There are lots of birdies and I particularly love the 2 little birds in a nest for the #2. :)

I used a wide variety of products to create......Webster's Pages paper, sparkler, bloomer...
Prima paper, lasercut felt...
Tim Holtz Bingo Texture Fade (to create the fab copper #22)... Martha Stewart's daisy fan punch...
American Crafts memento, rub ons, thickers...
Cosmo Cricket chipboard numbers...
Making Memories rub ons...
Maya Road bingo marker...
Girls' Paperie number...
Fancy Pants stamps...
In addition to loads of vintage ephemera...game pieces, rulers, etc...

Now onto the important news!
Paper Issues has a current theme running through Christmas titled "Holiday Madness." What does that mean to you? Please share your fabulous Christmas creations over at Paper Issues and while you are there, be sure to like us on Facebook for your chance to win a super giveaway of American Crafts goodies! Paper Issues is only shy 13 followers to reach the 700 mark on Facebook! Way to go Paper Issues!!!!!

I love you my wonderful friends! Happy December 1st, may the "Holiday Madness" begin! :)
Amy

Thankful For Fall...Family...& Friends...

Hi Everyone! Paper Issues has revealed the newest theme...Thankful For Fall. If you ask me, what a great platform to create from...things that we are truly thankful for and just in time for Thanksgiving, right around the corner!

A family tradition that we started a few years ago is going to Branson, MO for Thanksgiving. With the extended family in tow, we all load up and stay in a huge cabin to accommodate 12 of us. I am truly thankful that we get to spend this memorable time together...watching movies, playing games, eating, shopping, going to the amazing Christmas shows and taking in all the natural beauty that surrounds us. What a perfect way to welcome the Christmas season. :)

As the trip quickly approaches, I thought it would be a nice time to make a card for my mother letting her know how grateful I am for our family. The card I created is not your typical colors when you think of fall is it? My color scheme is totally inspired by Tara Anderson, one of the designers at Crate Paper. She always does monthly color challenges...funky color combinations I typically wouldn't dare to even conjure up in my head. Lately I have been attempting some of her suggested schemes and am truly enjoying it.

For this card, I used a scrap piece of the Crate Paper Farmhouse Farmers Market. I had recently created some cards using one of the Tim Holtz dies, Regal Crest. I decided to cut around the negative scraps, and it looked like a pumpkin to me so I kept it. :) The same holds true for the copper leaf. It was from negative diecuts too. In addition to the pumpkin, I used an In Stitch'z Formal Flourishes template to create my swirls for stitching. I am loving the magenta floss against the Crate Paper Random Denim. I used AC "Forest" Thickers as well as a diecut from Crate's Random Collection. I dug into my older stash of goodies for the metal "family" piece from K&Co's Life's A Journey & the cute 3D acorns are from Anna Griffin.

I hope my card has inspired each of you to get out there and create for what you are truly thankful for. Please be sure to share with us over at Paper Issues. We would love to see your works of art. :)

Not only am I thankful for my family, I am thankful for you my friends!
Thanks for stopping by, and have a fabulous week!
Amy

Happy Halloween from my Barber Shop Boys!!!

These are my little guys, Jack & Sam.  For those that know me, costumes for my kiddos are a huge part of Halloween.  I am always planning them out months in advance.  Since the mustache craze is so big right now, I knew I wanted to incorporate them into the boys' costumes.  Back in July, I saw these straw hats and totally started thinking barber shop quartet.  Since I only have 2 boys (not 4 thank goodness!)  I decided that they could be a barber shop duet.  Yeah, that would work.  After researching the internet long and hard for the accessories, I came accross these adorable red/white striped vests on etsy.  Jennifer of  The Little Dressing Room has impeccable sewing skills.  I absolutely adore the way the vests look and fit my boys.  The polka dot ties are from The Belle & The Beau.  If you have boys, they make the coolest ties for boys in the trendiest fabrics out there.  The costumes were coming together nicely.  Black shoes check.  Black pants check.  White oxfords check.  Red/black arm garters check.  I still needed the much coveted mustaches for the boys.  I kept thinking, what could I use that the boys could deal with and not tug and play with all night?  Paint no.  Furry sticker staches no way.  Black sharpie tried it....smears & toxic.  Then it hit me...temporary tattoos!  Okay, so then I was on the quest to find them.  Shockingly enough they are practically nowhere to be found.  Everything I came accross were the fingerstaches only.  They are tiny tattoos that you place on your index finger and hold up to your lip.  Cute, but not what I needed.  Eventually I came accross Brittany's etsy shop, Love Stitched.  She was so kind to create some larger 2" ones for my kids and they turned out perfectly.  So if you are ever in the market for life size temporary tattoo staches, now you know where to go!

I hope everyone has had a safe Halloween.  My boys have finally drifted off to sleep after their sugar high!
Thanks dearly for stopping by!

Halloween Crows or Bird Clowns?

I have been working on several of these birds over the past few weeks. My little Sam has been watching me create and keeps referring to them as "clown birds" which gives me a chuckle. I guess it is the hat and the ruffles around the neck that might have given him that idea?

The 2 birds on the pedestals (pictured below) I created for my sister & brother. They both have October birthdays so the numbers on the hats represent their ages. I created the bigger bird for myself with the "31" representing Halloween. (Yeah, I wish I was 31 again!)

Basically all the birds started out as a brown resin and I painted them all black to make them look more like crows. I sanded them to give them a distressed look and then added some fun black and polka dot feathers to the tails for added interest. I made the hats from an old art instruction manual and black pom poms. Mine actually has an orange bell at the top that I recently received in a Halloween box swap. For the ruffle I called on my wonderful seemstress mother to create. Basically she layered orange and black crepe paper, straght stitched and then gathered. I really need to start sewing...she made it look so easy! The polka dot ruffles I created out of polka dot cupcake liners! I added some silver Stickles for some extra sparkle. Lastly, I typed on some little kraft banners and attached to the legs.

Other than the Halloween Curiosities Box Swap and these birds I have not done too much crafting this month. Usually this time of year, I am frantically getting ready for the insanely fun Girlie Show but I thought I might take off this year and just enjoy the fall with my kiddos...the mummy & son masquerade ball...the pumpkin patch...the zoo...carving pumpkins...making goodies for school parties...warming up by the fire outside while eating hot stew & s'mores...this has definitely been a fun October for me and my little guys. Time goes by way too fast...sometimes we just have to stop and enjoy the everyday. We have made some fantastic memories over the past few weeks and it makes me so very happy.

I will stop back by tomorrow to share with you the boys' costumes this year. They are always fun to put together. :) Until then, be sure to link your Halloween projects over at Paper Issues through tomorrow. We would love to see what spooky goodies you have to share!

Hello Friend! BINGO Card

So I have this fabulous blogger friend that lives halfway across the United States from me. How I wish I could "hang out" and create with such friends but I know that is a very difficult feat. To show my appreciation for such a dear friend I have never met in person, I wanted to create her a special card. Isn't it interesting how we meet so many people on the web and feel like we know so much about them and haven't even met in person? My how technology has changed our world!

For my "friend" card, I wanted to incorporate both mine and her sense of style and flair. I always like to incorporate vintage into my work...she always has edgy designs and uses lots of fun techniques...together we both incorporate lots of vivid color. With this combination of style, I present to you this BINGO Card. I have never attempted to do misting/masking on any of my work because it honestly scares me. I feel like I have no control of the spray, and once it is there it is there. Do some of you know what I mean? It is sort of like water colors...I have never had much luck with them as a child or even now. I guess I am too much of a planner in my creations and it tends to limit & slow me down. My friend, Michelle truly takes chances and I love that about her. She inspires me to do so in some of my work, so that is why I took a chance on this card. Crazy enough, I am satisfied with the way it turned out. :)

Here is my ecclectic mix of materials I used...
Chipboard Alphas: KI Hip Hop, Cosmo Cricket Vintage Mix, Pink Paislee Weathered Wood
Rub-ons: Kaiser Craft & Hambly
Damask Sticker: Heidi Swapp
Bird Mask: Tattered Angels
Mist: Smooch Spritz (love this lipstick red)
Vintage: bingo card (with funky orange windows), black & cream bingo markers, wooden lotto marker, red button & black polka-dot butterfly brooch

I hope sharing my card will inspire you to "take chances" as well. You might just enjoy the result!
Amy

It's Halloween over @ Paper Issues & "Curiosities" Halloween Box Swap

Paper Issues is celebrating "31 Days of Halloween" this month. All month they will be featuring lots of spooky, cutesy Halloween projects created by YOU! To make it even more enticing, if you link up one of your Halloween projects...you will be entered into the Halloween Mini Kit Giveaway! They will be giving away SIX kits!!! They will announce the winners on October 7, so you still have time to play!

For my initial Halloween creation this year, I decided to participate in Heather's annual Speckled-Egg Petite Inspiration Swap Box, "Curiosities Edition." I am a huge nut for Halloween so I thought it would be fun to do...it totally gets me into the spirit and I get to share some of my vintage lovelies with others. :) I had 2 swap partners, so I created 2 boxes. Both very similar but a little different; taylored to individual tastes.

I covered the boxes in some super creepy "witch" wrap I picked up at the Paper Source. Those eyes on the witches are just downright scary. Don't you think? To give the paper some dimension, I added silver Stickles to the hat buckle. I then made accordian medallions from a super old dictionary. I topped them off with a vintage black bingo marker. Then I tied bakers twine with a cute crepe paper accent from The Girls' Paperie, Toil & Trouble Collection.

As you can see from the photos, I cram packed the boxes with all kinds of vintage goods in the Halloween color palette. From buttons & trims to a little black bird and a vintage owl card, the collection of findings is sure to jump start a fabulous Halloween project or card for my partners. As for the fantastic boxes I received in return, I was floored with all the fun goodies! From a circus font "Happy Halloween" stamp to a black crow, skeletons & felt pumpkins, I got some sweet little gems myself that I am very excited to work with. Thank you dearly Jeanne & Kathy!

If you have never participated in a swap before, I recommend you give it a try at least once. The great part is you make new friends and you get lots of cool treats in return! To see lots of the boxes in the swap, you can check them out over at Flickr.

Don't forget to link up your projects over at Paper Issues and have a festive month. The holiday season is upon us!

The winner of my Blog Hop GIVEAWAY is...

..."Willieburg Scrapper" also know as the infamous Michelle!  Congratulations!  I truly appreciate each and every one of you for stopping by during the Paper Issues Blog Hop.  It was lots of fun, and I hope you were inspired with tons of creativity along the way. 

Speaking of Paper Issues, yesterday Cassie introduced the newest theme/challenge:  Tree Hugger!  What does that mean to you?  Someone that loves nature or perhaps someone that is really into recycling and/or repurposing...the interpretation is totally up to you.  Won't you join us in sharing your Tree Hugger creations?  The featured project might just be yours!  :)

Paper Issues Blog Hop!

Today I am participating in my first ever Blog Hop! Yeah! This hop is so exciting as there are so many talented girls on the Paper Issues Team to share and inspire you with their creative greatness! :) If you are joining me from the fantastic Peg Hewitt's blog, then you are right on track. If not, I encourage you to join the hop starting at the beginning with Paper Issues. There are tons of amazing giveaways/RAKS on many of the blogs so be sure to check them all out for your chance to win! Also during the hop, Paper Issues is offering 25% off your purchase at the Paper Shop!

The creation I am sharing with you today is a little congratulatory gift I gave to my sweet niece, Allison for winning 1st place in a huge soccer tournament last week. It was very intense for her and her team; and they came out on top, victorious! To help her always remember such a special time in her life, I decided to create her a fancy little trophy and card.

As you can see, this is not your typical trophy. I am a huge nut for repurposing old junk and giving it new life. Perhaps that is the "tree hugger" side of me. :) One day I was "junking" at an antique shop and came across a big box of old trophies. I decided to start taking some apart and putting together different components to create my own. The whole thing only cost me $3. The initial look was rather yuck with the brass and old wood, but I definitely transformed it!

Here is a quick how-to on the trophy, in case any of you would like to give it a try. :)

1. Unscrew all the pieces of the trophy.

2. Take the plastic part of the trophy and completely cover in spray adhesive.

3. Pour super fine glitter all over it, and watch the beauty transform. (As you can tell, I am a huge sucker for bling!)

4. Spray a fine coat of fixative over the glitter.

5. Paint the wood base.
6. Create the sentiment with stickers and place on the trophy plate.
7. Make a paper medallion and glue to base of the trophy.
8. Screw all the pieces back together, and voila!

I used lots of materials to create both the trophy and matching card...American Crafts: Honor Roll & Class President Papers from the Teen Collection, Black Glitter Thickers, Making Memories, Jenni Bowlin: Chalkboard Alphas, Maya Road: Black Pleated Ribbon, Glitz Design: Love Games Peek A Boo, Daisy Hill: Acrylic Alphas, Other: hot pink fine glitter, old trophy parts, black paint and scallop punches.

Okay, now onto the fun part: the Giveaway! Since Paper Issues is all about "paper" I purchased this fantastic book, "Deocorating with PaperCraft" by Clare Youngs. The book is filled with absolutely fabulous ideas and how-to's for beautiful paper crafts. You will love it. In addition, I am including other things I love...overlays and of course vintage ephemera to include tickets, game boards, & book plates. I will be drawing the lucky winner on Monday, September 19. To increase your chances of winning, there are several ways...

1. Leave a comment.
2. Follow my blog.

3. Follow Paper Issues!

I hope you have enjoyed the hop so far, and that you will visit again soon! Don't forget to stop by Paper Issues and show them some love! Now onto the extremely talented, Leah Crowe!

Magnetic Lunchboxes!

I have some unusal ideas when it comes to my creative endeavors sometimes. Tonight I would like to share these fun tartan plaid lunchboxes I have altered just a bit. :)

Since it is back-to-school time still, what a perfect opportunity to share this kooky idea with you all! Basically I first found a vintage tartan lunchbox and then later found some newer versions from Restoration Hardware. To create, I stamped a big Fancy Pants flourish stamp onto the lid with white Staz-On ink. It really pops wonderfully against the black/red plaid. To create the magnets, I used lots of Basic Grey June Bug goodies. From the paper & layered stickers, to the felties and brads they were the perfect match for the tartan boxes. All the fun doodads on the lunchboxes are totally magnetic, even the bird! Whether sending darling little girls to school with a sweet note inside attached with one of the magnets, to being a lady with some funky flair, these are great for girls of all ages.
Being a mother of 2 boys, I needed something a bit more masculine. My oldest son, Jack needed one when he started kindergarten. As you can see, his is a little beat up now. Originally it just said Jack with the little Paul Frank monkey at the bottom. Now that he is a little older, I trust him with magnets. I turned these 1" buttons into magnets for him to play around with. I am sure it puts a smile on his face when he opens his lunchbox with a note from mom that says, "my mom thinks I'm rad" on it. Don't you? My little guy, Sam started pre-school a few weeks ago and of course wanted one just like his brother's. Naturally, I made him his own without the magnets. Now he looks like the "little" big man on campus like his brother. :)

On another note, don't forget to share your Learning Curves creations over at Paper Issues! The challenge is still open through Friday, the 15th so you still have time. Also, I am sharing these tartan lunchboxes with Punky Scraps "Tartan" Challenge this week. The inspiration photo is punky funky fabulous, so be sure to check it out! Have a great rest of the week!

Thanks for stopping by!
Amy

Paper Issues "Learning Curve" & Football!

Happy Sunday all my friends! I hope everyone is doing well getting into the groove of fall with the kids starting back-to-school. Paper Issues reveals the newest theme today, "Learning Curve" which is perfectly fitting for this time of year. To me, the first thing that naturally pops into my mind is first day back-to-school photos, school supplies, and everything that comes along with it...cooler weather & football! I live in Norman, Oklahoma which is a huge football town. Known for the competitive football here, the University of Oklahoma resides at the epicenter of the chaos. When the kids start arriving for the fall semester, our town suddenly has 30,000 more residents...the OU college students! Talk about a major transition each fall for the remaining 70,000 of us that are permanent residents of this college town. Hosting 9-10 home football games each season, the whole town is painted varying shades of crimson & cream. As our town prepares for all the exciting madness of it all, I thought it would be fun to create a calendar focusing on football and all it entails.

To create, I have been purchasing/collecting football stamps for months. The outer border of the circle corkboard is covered in lots of different stamps from Hampton Arts, Karen Foster & Fancy Pants. Using black StazOn, it gives each image a crisp clean image. I created the numbers using my 1" button maker and lots of assorted papers from GCD, October Afternoon, Prima, Cosmo Cricket, Graphic 45, Teresa Collins, Pink Paislee, CTMH, Simple Stories, My Mind's Eye, Crate Paper, Basic Grey, Creative Imaginations, 7 Gypsies and some vintage papers. In addition to the paper, I used some stickers and rub-ons from Echo Park, American Crafts, Karen Foster, Hambly, Making Memories & The Paper Studio.

For a fun twist, I created 3 felt pennants for the calendar. These would be used in place of the number on corresponding game days. For those that are big football fans, what a great way to look forward to the big game day cookouts and tailgating parties! If you are interested in creating one of these yourself, I will share with you some quick details on creating these fun little mini pennants. If not for a calendar, they would make great embellishments on a layout or card too.

Mini Pennants Tutorial:1. Stamp directly onto sticky backed felt using stamp slightly dipped into paint. With a fine tip paintbrush you will want to repaint the image since felt tends to absorb the paint initially.

2. Once paint dries, cut out the pennant like a long skinny diamond since you will be folding it in half. For the pin, I used quilting T-pins since they are longer than reqular stick pins. To make the pennants bendable, here is a fun little trick for you...use some copper or metal sheeting on the inside! That way once you have folded over the felt with the pin and metal securely tucked inside, the pennant can be folded, rippled or wrinkled to your liking!

This is my "Learning Curve" project for you today. As Paper Issues unveils this new theme, be sure to play along and share your projects with us. Your project might just be featured! Remember, it can be anything that you interpret it to be. I look forward to seeing all of your amazingly creative projects!

Thanks for stopping by my sweet, beautiful friends! :)
Amy

"Out of Print" Bird Cage Calendar

So I am sure it seems that I have been MIA from the blogword, but I am still around! Wonderful life experiences like birthday parties and big family vacations have gotten in the way, but I am not complaining. :) My little guy Sam turned 4, and we went on a long road trip to Pigeon Forge, TN. It was beautiful, green & not in the 110 degree heatwave like here in Oklahoma! I can't wait for this intense heat to subside. Unlike Michelle, I am ready for the fall! (yeah willieburg, I am talking to you! :)

As promised, I told many of you that I would eventually share a tutorial on my perpetual calendars and today is the day! I present to you this one-of-a-kind bird cage calendar. Truly unique because I didn't buy more of these cages, and I am kicking myself like crazy because they are all sold out. :( I created this calendar using the lovely Basic Grey "Out of Print" collection. I have always been a huge fan of Basic Grey, and they nailed it again with this line. In addition to the papers I used, I incorporated some of their new "bow ties" and "lace it up" stickers.

Here are the details...
1. Choose a metal surface for the base of your calendar. Be sure that magnets will stick to it before you begin. It can be very deceiving but magnets definitely don't stick to aluminum but do stick to tin and other metal substrates. My best advice is to take a magnet with you when shopping to be sure it will work.
2. Choose the background papers and cut accordingly to the shape of the metal.
3. When adhering the paper to the metal, it is crucial that you use an adhesive that will hold permanently and covers every bit of the paper! Through trial and error, I have found that when there is moisture in the air the paper tends to warp a little. If it is not absolutely stuck to the metal, the magnets won't stick to the metal...and if the magnets don't stick well poo! That wouldn't be good! My favorite recommendation is to use a 5" Xyron machine. Just cut your paper down into 5" strips and reassemble accordingly onto the metal.
4. Create your grid in pencil and then come back over it with a Sharpie. I always do 7 rows accross and 6 rows down to accomodate for the months that start & end mid-week.
5. Put your permanent days on there via stamps or Dymo tape.
6. Stamp around the edges of the metal as desired or add sweet embellishments like flowers, ribbon, etc.
7. Raid your junk drawer for unique numbers like keys, dice, dominoes. Next, raid your scrapping stash for chipboard letters and rub-ons.
8. Once you have decided what numbers to use, glue heavy duty magnets onto the backs of each number. For paper thin pieces like tickets for example, you can use magnetic sheeting. That stuff totally rocks! For your adhesive on the numbers, use E600. Yeah, it is rather toxic smelling but it definitely has a good solid bond.
9. Lastly, create your days of the month using scrabble tile. To be able to form a complete set for all the months, keep in mind you will need several of some letters and some not at all. Here is a handy little list of the numbers you will need...A:2, B:1, C:1, D:1, E:3, F:1, G:1, H:1, I:1, J:1, L:1, M:1, N:1, O:2, P:1, R:2, S:1, T:1, U:2, V:1.
10. Guess what? That's it! Now you can make a calendar that you can enjoy for many years to come!

I hope as you create your calendars as I know many of you will, please be sure to share! I would love to see all of your fabulous creations!

As always, thanks for your sweet comments and support on my blog. You all inspire me to create! Happy Weekend to one and all! :)
Amy