Nancy Wethington

WOYWW . . .

It's time to play again . . .

and here's what's on my desk(s) today:

a pile of papers and flowers ready for a card class

+

banners I made in Missy's FAB class last night

(need to add more things before it's strung together)

more paper for the card class

 

new punches I bought at For Keeps Sake

and

yes, I had to buy two

because

(1) they fit one into the other so I can create a frame

and

(2) they are 40% off this week!

Note to my husband:  HAD to do this.  A girl just can't pass up a good sale now can she.

 

the remains of the upcoming card class

with piles of beading stuff + fabric + paint ++++

 

So that's it.  At least the part I'm willing to show you.

Now gotta go clean up

before I head over to For Keeps Sake for more punches

(don't tell Bill please)

plus ALL THE NEW STUFF

they're receiving from CHA-W.

The store is loaded with amazing things.

I think it's my duty as a consumer, scrapbooker, instructor

and

paper fiddler extraordinaire

to purchase some new stuff.

 

Cardmakers unite!

I've been asked by many students to get back to cardmaking.

You ask.

I do.

Save the date

Monday, May 2

6 pm - 8 pm

when we'll create

Mother's Day Cards

We will use ribbons and flowers and stamps and Copic markers and all sorts of beautiful things

to create

and

learn

to

shade and highlight

and

mix and match

all while having a great time with

friends.

Working on them right now!  I'll show you asap.

As always, these will be offered @ For Keeps Sake Scrapbook - St. Louis MO - 314-487-8131

In the style of Lisa Kaus . . .

Lisa Kaus is a fabulous mixed media artist.  I was very lucky to have taken a class from her last year when we created this piece

using watercolor crayons, charcoal pencils and mediums.

I'm singing here:  L o v e d    i t !

We brought our own paper and embellishments so that each piece was unique to us.

It's time for me to share these techniques when we create something similar to learn to use watercolor crayons and charcoal pencils and mixed media pieces.

 

So start collecting your own meaningful pieces of ephemera and some of your favorite scrap pieces of paper and let's get together

Wednesday, May 25

6 pm - 8 pm

@

For Keeps Sake

and create something mixed media and uniquely our own

"in the style of Lisa Kaus"

$20 per person.

Room for 12 people.

Vintage Vinyl . . .

That's what I'm calling my class on Wednesday, April 27 because it is all about vintage.

While antiqueing one day, I found some vintage LP records.  For you younguns LP = Long Playing.  Most LP's came in album covers.  My very first LP was Bill Haley and the Comets.  I was in grade school and loved this band.  My Dad surprised me one day and brought the album home for me.  I'm sure I wore it out.

 
 

Back to antiqueing . . . (sorry) . . .

So, one day junqueing I found the large scrapbook-type albums that held several LP's.  And these had the LP's in them.  So I bought what I could and have had them for quite a while.  Not enough yet for a class until about a month ago when I ran across more.

 

 

That completes the history lesson portion of this blog post.

Back up to January of this year.  While at CHA, the Graphic 45 booth (always the best decorated at the entire show) had some record albums decorated with their new line Curtain Call.  You can see them on their blog.  Darling. 

Curtain Call is all about black and cream (check) and music (check) and old-time movies and movie stars.  What better way to use my vintage albums?!

Here's my version for the class on Wednesday, April 27:

 

The black envelope on the left side holds a tri-fold mini *album*.  We'll decorate the large vintage vinyl and you'll have plenty of leftovers to use on the tri-fold mini where you can house photos or journaling.

As mentioned in a previous post, place it on your bookshelf to commemorate a favorite

• dance, band or song
• band or orchestra practice
• dance recital
• Father-Daughter dance at a wedding
• school prom

 

When the LP is complete, it will be sturdy enough to stand up (with the help of your stand) on a bookshelf, counter or desk top.

Hope you can join me . . .

Wednesday, April 27

6 pm - 8 pm

$27

@

For Keeps Sake

(314) 487-8131

(room for 12 people)

Simon Says Stamp & Show . . .

a HAT.

My mind immediately goes to a real hat.  Not one stamped but a dimensional hat.

I have a hat from my Dad that I thought about altering but not ready to do that.

I have a glossy top hat that I thought about doing something with but couldn't think of what paper to use to alter it.

Then it struck me.

Every girl needs a crown.  And what better paper to do it with than Fashionista from Graphic 45.

The crown pattern was found online (there are tons of sites with crown patterns).  I cut 2 out of chipboard and wallpapered them before putting them together.  This simple crown is then decked out and ready for the next cropping party, birthday or wedding shower with Stickles adorning the Graphic 45 paper.

My Team Mates did an amazing job of working this HAT challenge.  Run on over and see what they've created on the

Simon Says Stamp & Show Challenge Blog.

You could win this fabulous prize

from our amazing and generous sponsor

Simon Says Stamp Superstore.

 

Snippets of Discussions . . .

In class yesterday, we talked about . . .

• pinterest:  are you a fan?  I am SO STUCK on this site.  If you are visual, you need to go there.  Just google http://pinterest.com  sign up and I bet you'll be as hooked on this as I am. 
• paper that is good for bookbinding.  Sorry but I still can't remember the name of that paper.  A couple of the gals said they use Tyvek envelopes and cut them up.  These would be used specifically for the binding edge of a handbound book.  Although we know there's a lot of handmade and specialty papers out there that would be wonderful, we're looking for something super strong (and easily affordable and accessible).  I know Art Mart carries one that I used to buy frequently.  Just can't recall the name of it.
• If you like my classes and they're full, please put yourself on the waitlist.  You never know when someone will cancel. 
• Thank you for yesterday.  It was such a wonderful group of gals that attended and three new-to-my-classes people - and I love that!

 

What was THAT!

photo of yesterday's snow from one of the weather channels

So we're all sitting in class yesterday, having fun, minding our own busy-ness, putting together our books

when out of the blue . . .

a snowstorm.

WHAT!

Huge flakes.

A good amount of them.

Blowing around like crazy.

DUMPING - and I do mean DUMPING 

snow

LIKE

CRAZY.

We finished our books.  Called my Mom. 

I really didn't want to drive around from So.Co. to city to West County to city and back to So.Co

in THAT STUFF.

Drove home

SLOWLY

Pulled into my driveway.

Stopped to open the garage door

and with the brake on the car

slid totally down my driveway

backwards.

No one wanted to drive in this stuff . . . not even the guys who were going to come over for dinner.

 
So this week for dinner we will be eating

braised beef

with

garlic mashed potatoes

and

carrots

and

for dessert

brownies

or

apple caramel cake.

Come on over.

There's plenty!

ha ha ha ha ha. gotta love st. louis in march.

and today, my guess is, most of the snow will be gone.

Tomorrow . . .

is going to be one crazy day for me.

I have a bookbinding class at For Keeps Sake from 10:30 am - 4 pm

then to an engagement party

after which our son asked if I would cook supper for him and 10 buddies

at 7:30 pm.

So today I started on

grocery shopping for tomorrow night's supper

followed by

making desserts (always dessert first!)

gift wrapping

getting a jump start on the main course

(that was all after meeting my boy at 5:45 am because he forgot stuff at our house that he needed)

and beginning this project that I've been wanting to work on since January!

 
We saw these record album re-do's at the Graphic 45 booth and completely fell in love with them.

So I've been collecting some vintage vinyl for a class at For Keeps Sake.

Finally have enough for a class of 12 people.  Not sure of the date yet.  I'll know that tomorrow.

The paper album is straight out of a vintage album (holder) with an LP inside.  We will decorate the paper album with Graphic 45's Curtain Call as well as some of my vintage piano player music sheets.  Love that paper!  The record itself will show through the paper album and will gain a new center.  There will be a large 6x6 black envelope attached to the front of the layout which will house a tri-fold for your photos or journaling.

I think this would be perfect to commemorate:

• your favorite musical or play -  or one you or your child starred in!
• a special song
• an evening out dancing
• dance lessons or a recital
• marching band photos or band practice
• your favorite season of American Idol

There are so many possibilities.  Mine is going to hold photos of a surprise party my husband gave me for my 50th at the Casa Loma Ballroom!

I'll show you more as soon as I've solidified the class date.

 

 

Ribbon gluttony . . .

Remember this post:

http://art-from-the-heart.typepad.com/art_from_the_heart/2011/03/one-thing-leads-to-another-.html

I have ribbon gluttony

ribbon hoarding issues (among others!)

and apparently ribbon envy.

I use the word *envy* because when I shop with friends and they like something, apparently I have to purchase it as well.

It then sits around my craft room for a while

until I try to remember why I purchased it

and then decide to give it away.

Or the other scenario is that I purchase too much of one thing thinking I'll use it for classes

and that never happens.

Or it's cheap so instead of buying just one yard, I decide to get 3 yards (or more).

The result is this:

Or perhaps I think it would look cute on a card? And the card never gets made.

This Springtime purging that I'm into right now leaves me with this mound of ribbon on my desk.

I'm dividing this pile up and sending it off to two people who commented on my ribbon blog post:

Ann Werner

+

Erin K 

Ann, I know how to get this to you.  Erin, would you please send me your snail mail address and I'll send this to you next week.

Thanks for your comments.  I really appreciate your unique suggestions.

OMG what kind of talent does this gal have . . .

Someday, when I grow up, I want to think like this.

Since I'll be 62 years old this year, it's probably not in the cards but never-the-less, I thought you'd enjoy this photo I found on pinterest.  This is an altoid tin.  You should see the inside!

Here's a link to Kristin, the artist:

http://kbatsel.blogspot.com/2011/03/wicked-circus.html?showComment=1300920363985#c302956380581852563

Go see more.  Her art and trades are amazing!