under the golden gate...

I have found a new challenge that takes me back to my beginnings of paper crafting, thanks to Jean, who's blog is BlueBird Paperie It's called Tag Tuesday's Challenge sponsored by Kard Krazy (Louise) blog. My very first work was with tags and I thought I would never get the hang of creating cards!

The Inspiration Challenge today on SplitCoast was an amazing artist who uses a sewing machine as her tool. Myuki Sakai inspired me to dust off the Golden Gate image from Inkadinkadoo for my tag. I've long wanted to create something that I could use this photo of my DH, old long board surfer dude. I took the original into PhotoShop, resized the image, enhanced the 'oldish' picture and printed it for my tag. The wavy paper (October Afternoon) as the photo scene paper of hills and sky (WUBE) on the front and the vintage postcard on the back add to the '60's vibe, don't you think? Rubber Souls' hippy bus was a no brainer! I craved the windows out to take advantage of that gorgeous view over the 'gate.

I had a great time working out this creative challenge...I'll be looking for them on Tuesday's.

Beauty is...

This card was selected as a Trigger Target winner for 'A Study in Blue' on Moxie Fab World
Blue is a difficult color for me. But lately, I've found myself drawn to it in the clothes I wear. So when this weeks' Tuesday Trigger' over on Moxie Fab World was a Study in Blue color challenge, I just had to experiment with hues of blues. As most of the accessories were fashion, I thought this amazing 'Fountains of Women' image from B Line Designs would be perfect.

The image was stamped directly to the Brazzil linen paper with Memento Tuxedo Black. I colored the women with Copics. The boardwalk from Art Impressions, was inked with Tim Holtz DI Pumice Stone ink masking the women before I applied the image. I went back with several black pens of different widths to color the boards. Perhaps you can notice the top of the blue dress has a damask texture applied to it. (Basic Grey Vagabond papers). Her pumps are beaded with Martha's Lapis Lazuli glass beads. I cut and popped the dress to add dimension.

The undergarments were stamped on blue velum. And the nude's tattoo is part of the Beauty is soul deep sentiment from B Lines Design. I inked the tattoo with TH DI Pumice Stone and for the BEAUTY, I used Nick Bantock's Prussian Blue, embossing it with UTEE several times to give it some stability. I finished my card with a vintage garter that has hand dyed silk trim in the trigger colors.

This challenge took me way back to my paperdoll days as I loved playing with the ones you could find in the magazines. The Christmas I was 8, Santa brought me the Betsy McCall Fashion Designer. It had a light box that allowed you to trace patterns with colored pencils. A few years ago, I found one in the original box on the 'bay and asked if my husband would give that to me as a gift. It was pure joy when the box arrived and for the tiniest bit of time, I was right back there, Christmas 1961!!! And hopefully one day, I'll have granddaughters to share my love of paper dolls. I get the Fashion Designer out and maybe we'll do BLUE. How about you, did you like playing dress-up as a girl or have a favorite doll. I'd love to hear your stories.

typing, not texting...

Hey all you with it, hip(py) gurls. Remember when communicating meant hours on the phone...not cordless either! I decided to go old-school with a card for my tenderhearted son.

I did NOT learn to type on one of these beauties...we had electric Coronas. I must admit I love my cord free Mac keyboard and how it clicks every so daintly.

When I got up this morning, there was a hand written note on the counter right by my espresso machine...where I was sure to notice. words like 'stole' my heart, and looking forward to seeing you tonight, Mom (Thursdays are usually the night we catch up) and I love you, Mom. Now standing over the machine steaming milk, I realized it have been quite awhile since I had made him a special card. And just like that the muse came out to play!

I can't wait to catch up IRL.

Details for the elements can be found here in my gallery on Splitcoast Stampers.

...a second spring

I am not gonna let go of this glorious Autumn weather...nope, not gonna! Everywhere I walk and on my drive to work, the trees are dressed in magnificent color, an explosion really. Wednesday's over on Splitcoast Stampers is the Sketch Challenge. Today, I turned to Basic

Grey's Indian Summer paper group. There are 6 color variations of the same photograph of leaves and I managed to use each one.

The Albert Camus quote, Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a Flower, is an Impression Obsession image. The tiny leaves, a PSX long retired stamp. I used a Cuttlebug

Embossing Folder, Shells to give the pink leave panel some dimension. And the pretty card base is PTI Scarlet Jewel.

Our weather in the PNW is due to change soon and those glorious leaves will come down with the rain, but for now...for today, I am delighting in natures' show. Thanks so much for stopping by...

The Color of Winter

To say I was inspired by the Moxie Fab World Trigger Tuesday this week would be an understatement. I loved the monochromatic color palette, the texture of the sweater, and the quirky dressmakers form. It did have to grow on me until I could create. But wouldn't you knitters (too) out there agree with me...the fun with knitting is watching your work grow with each row.

I knew this Dawn Houser (Inkadinkadoo) dress form would be a good stand in. I have a great vintage light bulb from Gumbo Graphics that I used on top of the form. It was popped on dimensionals. The lace for my sweater was from my stash. I cut it apart and used the top for the arms and the rest for the body. Those tiny yellow buttons are from the vintage button stash. I had drew and colored the sweater collar. The sentiment is the last part of a neat saying about spring being the color of flowers. Thanks Nicole at Prickley Pear Stamps for the RAK. It was inked with Tim Holtz DI in Walnut Stain. Mulberry paper is underneath. The card base was stamped with Stamp Francisco's lace image in VersaMark and embossed with clear ep. A Tim Holtz postage diecut runs up both sides of the main image.

The Color of Winter is in the IMAGINATION. I agree with Terri Guillenets! I can close my eyes and be on my favorite beach in Kauai...then winter would be all turquoise, sea glass, and ocean green...how about you, what is your color of winter?

Enjoy the show...

Happy end 'o October. And onto November. I am not Halloweenie, but I just had to combine this freebie 100 Proof Press image with the lovely Wordsworth sentiment. It was one of those just had to do's! My card uses the Tim Holtz alterable rustic fence die which I inked with various ChalkBox inks and stapled to the dark night panel. The slim beautiful collage panel is from Memory Box 'Twilight' collection. I paper pieced the skeleton with Basic Grey's Sugar Rush. The sentiment is cut with one of the *umpteenth* labels from Spellbinders.

I am blessed to say my husband sees through all my protective layers and love me when I am unlovable. I suspect he is far more saintly in that way than I. And for that I am blessed. How about you?

let's eat...

Dessert, first. I am not quite sure who said that first, a quick search today attributed it to Les Brown. Anyway I thought it would be a great excuse to get a hunking big slice o' cake to share with my coworker (who occasionally reads my blog)! We've been helping out in another department what is desperately short~HANDED. And while we are out of our comfort zone, stressed, I might add, we're taking one for the team!!!

I love this Impression Obsession slice of cake. It makes a great image just stamped on white card stock with black ink. However, as my coworker loves Red Velvet Cake, I thought paper-piecing would cook up a swell cake. The sentiment is also IO. And the coolio serving Hand has been in my 'well, maybe it will work somewhere, someday box'...anyone have a box like that??? It is part of a 100 Proof Press image, actually it is holding a pocket watch. Basic Grey snippets were used for the layers as well as the gorgeous green bg.

I am leaving for work early today in time to stop at my favorite bakery for that hunking big o' slice of cake and 2 forks mind you! Hope you find sweetness all through your weekend.