Busy Weekend!

It is that time in the month that I have to work, work.  I love my job with my husband but there are days when I just long for a job again that affords me all the time I want to create.  Lucky for me my boss (AKA hubby) is very kind and I get plenty of creative time.  This weekend is the one that I usually need to focus on the business stuff, but I did get Saturday to play.  I had an opportunity to potentially work with a great company, (Fun Stampers Journey) but the timing wasn't right. They took a different route for now, I still love the product and encourage you to get on board with them!  Such cuteness!  However, during the week I thought I would be going to work for them I came up with some fun ideas.

One of the ideas I came up with  which would look AMAZING with some of the fun stamp sets they have was a game.  I sadly do not have those sets, but the idea was still fresh and fun.  I also have a dear friend that has an adorable toddler.  I heard this week she was having another baby.  I was thinking of making her a card, but this came out instead.  So in honor of big sister....I made this fun matching set.  Inspired by Fun Stampers Journey. (check out pages 71-77 of the catalog for the stamps I was thinking would be AMAZING with this idea). SUCH cuteness. One thing I really like about the stamps that FSJ is they are great red rubber and just so smooth to use.  I was thinking if you look on page 39 the aliens.. to make them different colors would be so cute!  Here is a peek of the Matching Game I made.  ANY FSJ Coaches out there.. this would be an amazing workshop. I hope it inspires you!

OH I was also thinking if you have the WE R Memory Keepers Fuse tool you can so encase these and make them sticky finger proof.  I plan on laminating these at my sisters school. (if anyone needs/wants instructions on how I made this just give me a hollar and I will send you some instructions!)

Oh and here is the card that did not make the "Congrats" for my friend expecting her second baby.   I had a better idea, it is in the process of being made and will post it later.  So this became a thinking of you.. cause I was -- thinking of little miss playing this game while mom takes care of new baby on the way.  

Color Color Color

I think the part I love most about making things is color.  A quilt, a card,  a scrapbook page anything even when I write. I love to have pretty colors surrounding me.  When I went to work for my husband, I implemented the use of colored file folders why?  not only does it make it easy to distinguish one type of file from another, but it also is just nice to not have ugly boring manila everywhere.
You are wondering, what does that have to do with anything e?  Here is the thing, I was working on a card last night  and I only had a little time so I was trying to hurry and just make something pretty for the day. I tried three times and felt.. BLAH. I stamped an image even colored it but still nothing. I decided the reason was I had not picked my color scheme!  I am a fan of color scheme!  just check out my Pintrest  "Seed" Board to see that. I call it "seeds" because I believe that is what really starts a project.  I think we need to know what we are going to make and have colors in mind.

I broke my BLAHs by stopping and reaching in my scrap cardstock and pulling out some colors.  I piddled around until I found this combo.

I did not end up using yellow cardstock but I loved the pop of yellow so I used yellow as the ribbon.  

Then the card just fell into place... I love when that happens.

The finished product. I used Red Rubber stamps and clear polymer stamps.  The dots are put on with VersaMark ink to get just the right shade of Grey.. (haha)

HERE is a boo-boo tip for you.

My original layout did not work with the size of grey scrap I had, so I simply cut it and made it appear to be an entire block.  It saved me from cutting into a brand new sheet and looked fine.

You would never know looking at the finished card that the light grey was not a full strip.  Even a miscut can be salvaged. 

That was my fun last night. I have an actual project working tonight hope to get it done tonight or tomorrow!  Please share if you like what you see.. Pin it, Facebook, Twitter, Google+  I appreciate your support.  

Please get out there and Make Pretty Things! 

Blessings 

e

Good Things Ahead...

It's rent week, which means I am busy as a bee.   I was working until about 7:00 pm.  I realized it was that late ran to the kitchen threw together some dinner then slipped away into my craft space.

I had some sort of bad news last week and it really put me in a sad spot.  I was thinking how I need to send out more cards.  I like to encourage people and I think it is important to not just send an email or text but to actually send something in the mail to someone that could just use a little something pretty in their day.  So I turned my blues around and made a few cards last night.

This is a red rubber stamp image.  Copic Markers the background is a polymer stamp with VersaMark Ink.
The hello on the tea bag tag, polymer stamp with stamping off technique on the blue circle. 

Stamps are all polymer.  Copic Markers.

Now for the Good News I am considering going into business for myself.  So please keep that in your thoughts and prayers.  The business end of things my hubby is looking into and it is in the infancy state...but it may actually happen.  Lots of great things on the horizon-- When God closes one door, He throws wide another.  The door that closed last week may be the beginning of a new journey for me!

Get out there and Make Pretty Things!

Blessings
e

Cards, cards, cards...

This weekend I have been busy.  I finished a few more cards and have a few on the board that are in the works.  I love the feeling of sitting and creating!  The idea that Making Pretty Things brings me pure joy.  To keep it short and sweet, here are two new cards for you!

PLEASE share if you like what you see!

New Card Creations

 Busy working on Making Pretty Things (MPT)  here are a few examples of some new cards I have made.  I hope you like them.  I hope to have more and more up soon!

A card that can be made in less than 10 minutes!  

Mix and match stamp sets for fun results

Made with a simple stamp and Inktense Color Pencils

Copic Markers. I just love them. I hope to be presenting many more with my Copics

A little fussy cutting with some Copic markers added up to a fun pretty card.

I hope you have enjoyed this sampling of cards.  I will be putting up some how-to PDFs in future postings.  Please introduce your friends to my blog!  I am going to be working hard to bring you a lot of projects for you to MPT!  

Blessings

just e.

Loving Lettering

I have always loved to "make" fonts. As a kid, when I was in class I was forever doodling and changing my "signature".  I was excellent at forging my parents signatures-- Uh wait, no that wasn't me, they really signed that permission slip that I forgot to give them for the last two weeks.

 It was not until I grew up that I learned that writing in different styles was a thing AKA "lettering" . As you know I love to zenthangle/doodle. Well I was on Pinterest (which I have now made a lettering board) the other day and I noticed a few beautiful quotes and I said, hey I can do that. So I tried.  I made this, and realized how helpful a rule might be.

Never really thought about how much I like letters! 

 So I got a ruler.. and it helped a lot!  :)

RULERS are good!  Nice to see some straight lines!  

While cruzin' the net I ran across Fun Stamper's Journey post about giving away stamps at the Scrapbook EXPO so then made another one inspired by the Fun Stamper's Journey post about blooms.  I really enjoy the lettering with color.  I then had a moment of AH-HA...This inspires me. I love to make pretty things, so be prepared, I have yet ANOTHER thing I really like doing.  Lettering.  If you have any ideas or great resources please share them in the comments!  Oh hey, Go Make Something!

Inspired by Fun Stamper's Journey Blooms

Simple Sunday

This weekend I wanted to practice what I preach.  I have been working hard on some fun sketches for some stuff.. anyway more on that later.  ANYWAY, I have these pencils that have been in a plastic pouch that needed a quick pretty home.  I ran into Michael's grabbed a little glass vase brought it home and covered it in my favorite thing--Washi Tape!

Simply Sunday said do not go home and mask and paint that like my brain in Mike's was telling me to do. I had an elaborate project all planned.  I gave into simple and I am glad that I did!  I really like that a little tape can go such a long way.  I also like that if I grow tired of this I can change it by adding more or starting over. It is a great new home for some of my pencils.  These are my sketching pencils, not my art pencils so this is perfect home easy to grab and off I go-- Anyway hope you like Simply Sunday

NOW, Go out there and MAKE SOMETHING PRETTY!

Blessings
e