Paper Spin Knits

 We have a Team meeting every month.  During this meeting, we typically have a "Showcase Stamper".  This person gets a stamp set and some swag from our Upline, usually about 2 weeks in advance (this month...it was 1 week), and then we have to create 8-10 cards using that stamp set. This week, I was the showcase stamper, and was given Whale Watching.  Now I love orcas, they fascinate me.  I was really excited to do this, and then went blank for ideas. Now what?!  Started searching the crafter's friend.... Pinterest.  There were a few ideas, but not many, so I used them for technique ideas. Orcas = ocean/water to me, that's kind of obvious, Annette!  Let's think outside the box.... except the box seemed to be sealed shut.  Crafter's block, dang it!  Ok, breathe, think about this, use the catalog (aka, the Sept-Dec Mini Catalog)! So I c.a.s.e'd the catalog, and that got the creativity going.  So let's see what I came up with.  Th...

 The new Fall Mini Catalog is out!!  So many fun things that I had to start playing right away.  I started with the Autumn Leaves stamps and dies.  This is part of a Suite of products that includes beautiful Designer Paper (DSP), ribbon, an embossing folder and embellishments.  I will be showing the DSP later this month, as it goes with so many other stamp sets.  Ready?  Let's Go! These stamps are "DistINKtive, meaning that they have shadowed areas to provide depth and interest.  I decided to use sponge daubers, so that I could add multiple colors to a single stamp, and then experimented on the color cardstock to use.  I used Basic White, Very Vanilla, Petal Pink, and Pumpkin Pie.  Each gives it a subtle difference. Ok, so not all the colors blended well together, but that's what experimenting is for... learning.   Next up:  let's add some stems. I used 2 different browns (Early Espresso and Pecan Pie).  Next time, I ...

 It's July, ya'll!!  Tomorrow is July 4th, so Happy Independence Day! It's time to get my act together, so I started by playing with color.  July is National Share-A-Sunset month, so I wanted to start designing a card around that theme.  But where to start?  I tried working from scratch... didn't like the result, it just seemed too "flat".  It's OK, just not what I was going for, so looked for other ideas. Yeah, the grid paper behind it gets messy.   Next up, use existing designer paper.  It's already done, right?!  Still not what I wanted. (yes, I am just THAT picky sometimes) Let's look at some retired paper.  Hmmmm.  I had some old Butterfly Bijou dsp, and it seemed to have a lot of the colors I was looking for.  But maybe not exactly what I wanted.  So time to break out some inks and blending brushes. Now this is the "B-side" of some pretty butterfly paper, and often gets overlooked or used as background color....

 Tissue alert!  Portions of this post are difficult to write and may be difficult to read. Let's start with the fun and happy.   This weekend we will celebrate our grandson's 5th birthday.  So naturally I had to make a card, but what kind?  Robots, dinosaurs, cars/trucks, or something else??  Well, we are going to Lego World this weekend for his birthday, so I decided to make him an appropriate card, and the tickets will be inside.   This is just an example of how some simple paper shapes can take on a life of their own!  So much fun, and even a hidden joke for his mom on the back 😉 And then there's the flipside of this coin... We lost a dear friend last week, and she was laid to her eternal rest this week.  Cathy was the very definition of an artist soul.  If it involved color, she was doing it.  Painting (watercolor, acrylic, oil), fiber arts (embroidery, spinning, knitting, crochet, weaving), and paper crafting.  ...

 Hey!  I've been wondering this past week, where did April go?  Let's face it... the first half of the month dragged by sooo slow.  And then it was May.  I know rain is good for plants and the fish in the pond, but the chicken yard is starting to flood.  Last I checked, chickens🐔 don't swim! 😂 Updates on my crafting world: * Attended the Midwest Pen Turners Gathering - it was great to see all the ladies gathered for Women In Turning.  And it got me behind the lathe again.  My goal (you all get to hold me accountable) is to make/turn at least 1 project a week.  It can be a pen/flask holder/bowl, it doesn't matter, as long as I'm doing it. * May and June classes for paper crafting/card making are up on my FaceBook page "Annette Crouse, Independent Stampin'Up Demonstrator".  One of the Thank You cards is shown here. *Fiber Arts:  I always have either socks or fingerless gloves on the needles.  Next up will be a lace shawl. ...

 I have always loved hand-turned items: bowls, pens, etc.  My husband, Mike, has gotten a lathe and has started making things.  I've been behind a lathe "officially" 3 times now.  Yesterday afternoon I made something new!  I turned my 2nd pen, but this one is in polyresin, and it is highly amusing to watch the ribbons  of material fly off the blank.  I looked like a cotton-candy factory exploded all over me...😅😅 "Spin" can also mean "turn"...right?😎  Isn't she pretty?! #Penturners #womeninturning

 So. In our last episode, I said that I would show you all a fun card for National Orange and Lemon Day.  That was last week!  Where did the time go?  So without further delay, here's a sunny Thank You card using the Sweet Citrus (160641) Bundle.  It's such a happy card! I used 2 bright yellows, as well as Starry Sky ad Parakeet Party 23-24 In-colors to create a cheerful Thank You card.   I will be featuring this in the April Craft-n-Chat, on April 15th (Tuesday) and 18th (Saturday).  This will be an in-person class, so if you would like to join us, head over to my FB page and click "Going".