Nancy Wethington

This Week's Frosted Designs DT Challenge

Fabric Challenge:  Use at least 1 piece of fabric in your design.

This week's DT challenge was a stretch for me.  Don't get me wrong.  I love fabric - in quilts, on furniture, on clothes (when someone else makes them) but I am paper all the way as far as crafting is concerned.

First thing I thought of was Pink Paislee.  They'll save me.  Pink Paislee has an entire line of fabric embellishments called Patches - YEA!  Adorable. Already prepped. In themes.  That's the answer.  So with the help of Pink Paislee I cheated a bit and designed this layout:

The "Remember This" banner is the Pink Paislee "Patches", inked up a bit, shredded the bottom (or whatever you call that in seamstress talk).  That's my baby boy about 22 years ago with Bill at the St. Louis zoo in the fall - bonding on a bench.  They both loved the zoo (and still do) and probably visited at least once a week.  Love this photo that Bill took with the really deep Fall shadows.

Added lots of Tim Holtz Idea-ology.  An easy fun layout.

After I completed this, I felt like I had cheated the DT just a bit.  After all, it's easy to pick up one of the PATCHES from Pink Paislee @ For Keeps Sake and add it to a layout.  I'm on a DT for pete's sake.  I should be more resourceful, right?

So here's what I did . . .

Took one of my all-time favorite jackets.

Purchased originally from a 2nd hand store for pennies on the dollar.

Silk.

Quilted.

Reversible.

Machine washable.

Big and roomy.

Graphic designs with European buildings.

Love, love, love the color combos.

Worn out.

Can't part with it no matter what 

and so turned it into:

an 8x8 book cover. 

The handle on the book is divine.

A gift from some of my students

who found it at a tag sale

and bought it for me!

Are they not the sweetest!

That handle is perfect for the front cover.

So here's the close-up and inside page:

 

Love mixing acrylic pages with paper pages

and that's what I did with this book.

The "jacket cover"  : ) has an 8x8 acrylic overlay on top of it

Added Prima bling and a bit of stamping.

Had previously made this tag and decided to use it in this book.

Added a rub-on saying at the bottom of the page.  

What's a project without some Graphic 45 included?

 

This felted & stitched ribbon  is delicious!

purchased about 2 years ago in KC at a fab ribbon store.
  
  

 

 

 

Remember these:

Prima stamps came in these must-save envelopes.

Inked edges with Distress Inks.

Folded so that one "page" would be 8" wide.

Stamped the plastic covering.

Turned the "page" and decorated the inside "page" of the envelope.

and ended that series with this:

envelope on the left & acrylic on the right.

  

 

  

 

  
 

 

 

This Idea-ology piece is on the back cover - also acrylic.  

I'll add something on the other side (like a peek-through).

 

Posted this for ideas.  This will not be taught in a class at

For Keeps Sake

but I will bring it to our next

CYI (Create Your Imagination) meet-up

(2nd Tuesday of each month @ 6:30 pm). 

Everyone is welcome.  Hope to see you there!

Sketch Challenge . . .

is up on Frosted Designs!

Here's the challenge sketch:

Here's my DT layout:

 

This is my first altered photo.  Took this of the cherry tree in our backyard.  It's just beginning to turn.  Because I had already chosen the paper (yes, I do things backwards sometimes) I needed a photo that was green-gray-ish with a tad bit of color to it.

So I took this photo:

The leaves were still a bit too green, with the exception of those 2 leaves in the center of the branch.  Perfect colors for what I wanted.  So cranked up the old Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0 (told ya it was old!) and used that little lasso tool for the first time.  I've had Adobe forever but I am horrible at it and just learning how to use some of those tools with the Canon Rebel I got just this year.  Someday I'll take good photos and alter them to my heart's content.

Ended up with this:

 

 

The colors were good for my paper so I began my DT layout and here's what I ended with:

Maya Road letters.

Stamped with Studio 490 (Wendy Vecchi) stamps.

Inked with Brushed Corduroy.

Outlined with Black Soot.

 

Chipboard bracket.

Painted with Juniper Dabber.

Slightly inked with Brushed Corduroy.

Wanted to keep the sides the same color as the photo's background.

Covered with paper.

Added pearls for punch.

 

  

 Prima flowers - started out as pure white.

Inked edges with Brushed Corduroy.

Added Distress Stickles to "pop" the flower centers.

 

Added a Fiskars punch and a Tim Holtz Idea-ology corner for added texture.

 Play along with sketches at Frosted Designs.
   

ME and me . . .

The saga of my Mary Engelbreit visit and teaching experience . . . continues

Last Thursday Mary Engelbreit (yes the real ME) and I were supposed to meet at her studio (yes, her real studio) so that I could show her how to use Copic Markers.  Mary uses Copic Markers but is not as satisfied as she'd like to be with the results she's getting (although I think they look perfect)

but . . .

we had to reschedule until tomorrow.

Sidekick Jan (the Queen of Tours) called today to say that Mary has an important deadline to meet and could we make it next Thursday.

So Mary (yes, we're on a first name basis - at least in my little mind.  But when I get to her studio I may just feel the need to call her the Queen of Everything, because she is!  And I'm practicing my curtsey now . . .  and again, I digress.) and I will color together next week.

Still nervous about this entire thing.  I'm showing ME how to color with Copics!!!!!!!!  Now how bazaar does that sound.  Is this real?  Am I dreaming?  This is the ME that is internationally known and me, I'm just a little (OK, not little) old (very old) instructor at For Keeps Sake Scrapbook. I am a Copic Marker Certified Instructor but how much water do you think that holds when one is inside the ME Studio?  To quote Scarlett: "I'll worry about that tomorrow".

PS NOTE: Really, only teasing about addressing Mary as the Queen and bowing.  Just my sick sense of humor.  Mary is, (from what I've seen so far) extremely down to earth and a "regular joe" - St. Louis-style.

Working on . . .

Design Team challenges for Frosted Designs.  Can't show you until Friday, but here's a hint . . .

one of my all-time favorite jackets.

originally found at a 2nd hand store.

purchased for pennies (OK, not quite but almost)

reversible to black

graphic

all silk

washable

and

worn out!

I could not part with this jacket.  The colors are me! The design is me!  With its homage to European buildings, just couldn't give it away.  So down into my craft room (sorry Stacey - studio) and ready to cut up.  Recycled once more.

This will be it's 3rd recycling. 

Wonder if you can do a 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon with a jacket?

Organizational Therapy & a Prize Offering

As a paper crafter, sometimes I . . .

• scrap
• paper craft
• collect
• put away
• clean up
• organize

It's no secret I'm a HUGE fan of our friends Tim, Wendy & Mr. & Mrs. Stampers Anonymous.  I love everything about rubber stamps including collecting, looking at them, feeling them . . . it's ridiculous.

Love the fact that Wendy has the acrylic binders, but (sorry Tim) I have too many Tim stamps and am not crazy wild about the storage Advantus has for them.  What I do LOVE is the soft acrylic/plastic (what is that stuff?) pockets Tim designed as well as the way Tim's & Wendy's stamps are rubber, pre-cut, cling-mounted and fit on a sheet that . . .

fits into We R Memory Keepers albums!

So here's my Tim stamps in those pretty little binders

sitting on the shelf

patiently waiting to be used on a project.

with one bright red album for

(as you've probably guessed)

Tim's Christmas stamps.

 

I've been collecting these at For Keeps Sake Scrapbook.  Can't seem to get enough of them.  They're beautifully made, real leather (sorry Peta peeps) look pretty on a shelf, hold Tim's stamps perfectly.  And my stamps are organized. 

One more thing to do . . .

I think I'll stamp small round tags to hang off the bookbinding  with a sample of the stamp sets inside.  That way, I won't have to pull each book off the shelf to see what's in it.  How's that sound?

How do you organize your stamps?  Comment below. 

There just might be a prize in it for you!

 

UPDATE:  Found a prize for a giveaway so . . .

keeping this post on top so you can enter to win

a Tattered Angels Compass Stamp

+

a sample bottle of Glimmer Mist.

Add your ideas of how you store your stamps

in the comment section below.

Don't worry about having an original idea

or "the best" idea as I won't know what works best for you

and that's not how the winner will be chosen.

Simply post and you're in the contest.

(Note to friends: must be in the comment section not in my personal e-mails.)

Contest closes this Saturday (October 10) 12 midnight Central time.

 

Silly Blog Question of the Day . . .

Reagan had bowls full of jelly beans; Obama, M&M's. If you were elected President, what would you choose as the official White House candy?

 

My answer: Snickers - as there's always plenty to laugh about in government!

 

What would you choose?

Tomorrow's Lunch Bunch

10:30 am tomorrow (Monday),

we'll gather for another fun day with friends in one of my

Lunch Bunch classes.

  It's a FAMILY album

using a Making Memories die-cut album

My Mind's Eye papers

Making Memories ribbon

K&Company die-cut & embellished stickers

&

more!

 

Please bring to class:

• Basic Supplies +
• Distress Inks:  Your fave brown, greens, blues
• Gold & white gel pens
• Glossy Accents
• Red Line Tape (you know - that really sticky stuff with a red backing)
• Sharp craft knife (we have the glass cutting mats for you to use)
• Heat gun (if you want to use your own)

I am also using a 1" square punch and a 1.25" scallop square punch.  You may use mine or BYO.

Can't wait to see you!  Lunch at Quizno's with your included lunch coupon.

PS: This class is full.

 

FAB Finds

 
Each year at For Keeps Sake annual scrapbook retreat, Nancy & Timi bring in new goodies, never before seen at the Lemay Ferry address.  This year is no different.  Here's what I found (and bought!):

Making Memories Vintage Findings: Papers and Paper Art Kits.

My fave may be the adorable Christmas kit.  I didn't buy it (yet),

 but know that was grabbed up by the retreaters. 

I think there's only 1 or 2 left.  Please Santa, bring more.

Honestly, the most adorable teeny felt mitten included in that kit.

 

 

And there's more . . .

 

Gorgeous Cavallini postcards begging to be altered (and so is the tin they come in)!

 7 Gypsies Printers Tray - already working on a class for this one!

When I get my hands on all these new products,

all I want to do is stamp, ink, cut paper and glue!

Kid in a candy store.

You know what I mean!

Busy, Busy . . .

This week has been a whirlwind.  We hosted Wendy Vecchi and Stampers Anonymous this past weekend for a fabulous time and stamps galore!

Then prepped for this weekend where we'll host 100 attendees at the For Keeps Sake Weekend Scrapbook Retreat.  Yesterday (Thursday) we moved some of our newest products over to the Holiday Inn South County Center so our retreaters could have first pick at some of the latest and greatest.  Moving products is an all-day affair.  It requires we (1) decide what to take (2) pack it all up in boxes (3) move displays from the attic to the Holiday Inn (4) pack up 4 vans/Jeeps (5) unpack everything (5) set-up at the hotel.

Today is when all the festivities start.

Tomorrow (Saturday) I'll be demo-ing for the attendees with:

• Ten Seconds Studio.  Each attendee will be able to create a little something to "get their hands wet" in this fabulous - and easy - art form.

• Tim Holtz Idea-ology Jewelry:  You won't believe how easy this is! Tim's products make this fool proof.  And with our brand new Cavallini papers - WOWZA!  I'll demo this Saturday throughout the day.

• More Cavallini (some of my favorite papers in the entire world) mixed with Tim Holtz fragments and alcohol inks.  Think more jewelry and/or charms!  Make one for yourself.

You'll have many cool ideas for the gift-giving season

AND you can get them finished this weekend!

Frosted Designs - Challenge Blog!

The new Frosted Designs is a challenge blog where you have an opportunity to win prizes each week.  I'm confident that if my students (and you know who you are) submitted designs for these weekly challenges you could win!  And no, it's not rigged in any way. I just know how good you are!  Get on over there:

http://frosteddesigns.blogspot.com/

 

This week's challenge for the Design Team was to use a flourish as a major part of your layout or card or project.  Here's mine:

 

Created this 12x12 layout using

Tim Holtz Grungeboard swirls to form a Christmas tree.

First stamped with Tim's pine needle stamp (to get more dimension)

on the Bo Bunny Christmas paper.

Tim's stamps are made by Stampers Anonymous

and is his Retro Holiday stamp set (CMS-067)

stamped with

Tim Holtz Distress Inks:  Peeled Paint & Pine Needles

 

Then overstamped the grungeboard swirls using the same

stamp and inks.

Blending in more Peeled Paint with a blending tool

onto the grungeboard swirls.

Adhered to paper with Rangers Glossy Accents.

That's a photo of my son about 22 years ago!

It was a colored photo.  Copied it to a black and white.

Covered with Distress Embossing Ink then clear UTEE.

Heat embossed.  UTEE'd again.  Repeated heat.

When cooled, I bent the photo so it would looked cracked and old.

 

 

 

Had to add Stickles and bling to the Christmas tree.

 

My 2nd DT project using a flourish:

 

That's another Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz stamp

with a Grungeboard flourish.

Paper from my scrap bin so not sure of the vendor.

Distress inks

then wanted some glimmer mist.

But to tell you the truth,

I really hate the thought of spending $8 a bottle

so I make my own for pennies:

 

Ranger's Mini-Mister

filled 1/2 way with plain tap water.

Choose your fave color of Ranger's Perfect Pearls.

Add a small scoop to the water.

Note: you can use the end of a popsicle stick for the "scoop"

Shake vigorously.

DONE.  Spritz.

 

I am tellin' ya

this mister, using the formula above, NEVER gets clogged up.

you can add as much or as little Perfect Pearls as you want.

it's a mister full for pennies.

Perfect Pearls sets with water so it won't rub or flake off!

 

That's what I did and used on the swirl.

Hopefully you can see the sparklies in the photo.

Stamped the image with Ranger's Archival Black.

Colored in the heart and background with Copic Markers.

Covered heart with Tim Holtz Rock Candy Stickles

because a girl can't have too much bling!

 

Check out the other Design Team Members

@

Frosted Designs:  http://frosteddesigns.blogspot.com/

 

PS: I purchase all my products

@

For Keeps Sake Scrapbook

(St. Louis best and largest scrapbook/paper arts store)

4530 Lemay Ferry Road - St. Louis MO 63129

http://forkeepssake.typepad.com