Something Not-So-Christmas

So I've been crankin' away on Christmas projects for the Paper Crafts Magazine Holiday issue. It was fun since I love Christmas so much but honestly, I'm a little worn down. Be that as it may, I've still already started on the next deadline (May 9) and saw that Paper Crafts is doing a Card A Day publication for 2011 and are looking for cards for all kinds of holidays. So...guess what I'll be working on over the next few weeks? I have some ideas on new projects but I'm not going to wear myself too thin. (And all my friends who know me say, "I'll see it when I believe it" now.)

Anyway, here's a little break from the holidays. I'm not sure who its for but I figure if there's someone who needs this card, it'll be ready and waiting!

I really love the trend in butterflies lately. They're peaceful, serene, beautiful and uniquely shaped. I hope you like it too!

And now? Bedtime!

Nighty Night!

Holly



Home Stretch!

So this is the last weekend I have to work on my holiday entries. Nine categories. Goal: Enter at least one project in each.

Sketchs? Check.

Materials? Check. (I think.)

Coffee? Chee-yek.

Motivation? DOUBLE check.

I'm happy to say that I've actually finished three and submitted them already. Check. (and a little woo-hoo!)

I've taken some days off of work to finish up the rest of my projects. Let's face it, it I don't start taking some time off soon, it'll be gone at the end of the year and my benefit will be partially lost. (We only roll over 3 days and I think I lost 4 last year because I just didn't use it all).

So here I go.

Wish me luck!

And keep an eye out in the Holiday Cards & More Paper Crafts Issue to see how these efforts over the last few weeks fared. Let's hope its 9 for 9. (A girl can dream, right?)

Hoppy Easter!
Holly

Checkin' In

So I've broken my blogging rule - post at least once a week, three times is my goal but clearly THAT'S gone out the window this past week or so. But there's a good reason!

I'm sure the challenge blogs all across the internet have fallen victim to the same thing - Paper Craft Magazine's call for entries. And this is a biggie - its the Christmas issue! Papercrafters are busy working on their submissions crankin' out fresh holiday-loving, gift-giving, smiling-generating projects.  Nine categories in all and I plan on entering projects into each and every one. If I'm lucky I'll get more than one project done in each.

Can I tell you how excited I am that I am getting in on this right now so I can get my Christmas on? I love Christmas. I love it so much, I have a little Christmas tree up in my studio. Yup. I do.

So as it stands today, I have one totally completed project that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. Thanks to Sara Wisely, I was able to pinpoint some of the things I didn't like about it today and then got straight to work fixing it after the little guy went to bed. And happy to say, I got them all done and executed to my liking.

I have one beautiful I've completed and I really like it too. But I think I want to try to re-stamp it to see if I can get my image to turn out better. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. (Oh boy, I'm a mom, aren't I?). Maybe tomorrow night I can knock that one out.

I've got two more partially completed projects. One that's technically finished but I think it still needs some tweaking. It's cute - a vintage inspired gift tag. Not sure just yet what I'm going to change but I'm sure when the dust settles and my projects are actually submitted it'll be different than it is today. The other project I just need to work out. I have the idea started and I like it but I just haven't had the time yet to complete it.

So that makes four solid projects. Five more to go? Seven more? NOPE! I'm aiming for 15. Can I come up with 15 really good publication-worthy ideas? I don't know. We'll see.

Wish me luck!
Holly

An Idea Cometh

Happy Sunday!

I had a great weekend, busy but not swamped with things to do. And I'm happy to say that the card I'm posting today only took about an hour to actually make once I had the idea.

I've been laboring over a concept for the Tuesday Trigger challenge at Moxie Fab World and sketch from Clean and Simple. I like the photo but I was struggling to pull something from it as inspiration. Instead of sitting in my studio, grasping at a handful of half-baked ideas, I used a method I use at work to discover an idea. Some people sit at a desk for hours and hours and keep trying new things when they're struggling. I like to do other things to help my mind see things from a different perspective. I find that while I'm driving, doing some dishes or cleaning up Grady's room my brain is thinking through some of these idea. It gives me a great start when I do finally get into my studio. Some might think its "wasted" time but if you sit at a desk for 8 hours with few good ideas or around the house for 6 and 2 in the studio with the same (or better) result, what's the difference?

I tried to look beyond the obvious and found my cue in the pattern created by the window behind the towel. Clearly I used the colors too but I'm very excited about how well my idea converted into my actual card.

Here's the inspiration photo from Moxie Fab:

And the sketch from Clean and Simple:

 

I created six postage stamp cutouts from different orange patterned papers and a couple with orange and blue but I really wanted the color focus on the orange (I really like this color). They came from several different paper manufacturers - GCD Studios, DCWV and Echo Park.

I "marinated" on the title of the photo in my thinking this week - Farm Fresh. The stitching felt "farm-ish" to me so I stitched the paper swatches to the backing. I stamped the sentiment with VersaMark embossing ink and used Stampendous white embossing powder to make it stand out against the blue patterned paper banner. I cut the banner with an Exact-o blade and a ruler. I stuck the sentiment to the card with a few foam dots.

I REALLY like this layout and concept (zeroing on on a single color to define the concept). I think I'm going to make a set of cards using a different base color and sentiment on each for a gift.

I hope you enjoy! Have a great week!

Holly