Mother's Little Helper

Oh Happy JiFFy!

Another month, another Just For Fun challenge with my JiFFy girlfriends! 

Here's the gist of the JiFFy challenge: each month, one of us picks an image, but before she reveals what that image is, a different JiFFy girl sends everyone a bit of patterned paper.  Sometimes the paper goes well with the image, and sometimes it's a... er... challenge, but it's always JUST FOR FUN!

This month, Michele selected sweet Izzie Has a DAISY by Stamping Bella, while Allie shipped everyone some oh-so-scrumptious 'Little Miss Muffet/Delight' from My Mind's Eye's Quite Contrary Collection.  Once again, image and paper were a match made in heaven! 

Here's what I came up with:

 

I have to confess, this isn't exactly how I planned it.  See, I had the background panel all sewn and was getting ready to stamp the sentiment (from CHF's Mona Lisa Moments' Script Essential Expressions).  I even used my Stamp-A-Majig, positioned the sentiment on the panel just where I wanted it, and stamped it... upside down. 

Rather than start over, I just flipped the layout.  Not exactly how I intended it, but c'est la vie, que sera sera, and so on and so forth.

Izzie was colored with Copics and shaded with Prismacolor pencils.  Machine stitched the background panels, pearls by Martha from Michael's, and Nestability ovals. 

Thanks for visiting me, and be sure to swing by my gals' blogs to see what they did with this month's challenge...

Michele Boyer

Lori Craig

Alli Miles

Kim Hughes, and

Julie Campbell

Have a happy day!

MFT's Greatest Hits: Girls' Day In

Today I'm playing with my girlfriends on the MFT Design Team by joining in their new monthly challenge, MFT's Greatest Hits, in which each participant chooses a previously released set to play with.  Since this is the maiden voyage of this new endeavor, it's only fitting that we decided to select images within MFT's iconic Who's That Girl line.  I chose Girls' Day In, not only because I think it's a fabulous set, but also because I haven't had a chance to get it inky yet.  For the whole list of everyone partaking in today's fun, go to Kim's blog and click on all the links -- you won't be sorry you did!

(Aside: I know it's hard to believe this is my third blog post this week, but you want to know something even more shocking?  I've actually gotten ahead of the game and used this as an opportunity to prepare a couple of teacher's gifts for Carter's pre-K teacher and personal aide.  MORE THAN A MONTH IN ADVANCE!  Do I need to get the smelling salts?!  I'm sure you're a little woozy, rubbing your eyes and wondering if perhaps you've entered...

THE TWILIGHT ZONE!)

Remember those little metal mailboxes from the Target Dollar Spot that were all the rage a couple of years ago?  Well, I bought a dozen or so of them back then, and they've been collecting dust in my 'alterables area' (aka junky, unorganized bottom of the coat closet outside my stamp hole) ever since.  But no more!  Feast your eyes...

  Here are the front of the boxes for Ms. Lynne and Ms. Brittaney, using Bling 'bet and Swarovski crystals.  The letters were heat embossed with Powder Keg Azure embossing powder.  (Powder Keg embossing powders and matching glitters are fabulous, btw.)  And no, I'm not worried that they'll see this in advance and ruin the surprise, because very few people I know 'in real life' are aware of my blog.  That's a whole 'nother post, though -- it'll take me too long right now to explain my reluctance to have worlds collide and my desire for people to stay in the boxes I assign them.  Not that I'm neurotic or anything... 

Moving right along, here are the decorated sides of the wee boxes, featuring WTG being pampered, something the future owners of these recipients surely deserve after nine months of herding 4 & 5 year olds...

and...

 

WTG's robe and chair were paper pieced, and her skin was colored with Copics.  The background was airbrushed with Copic's system.  The fluffy trim on her robe was created with Polar White Flower Soft. Here's a close up of her beverage (which I prefer to think of as a nice glass of Pinot Grigio), which was colored in with a gold Copic Spica then coated with Glossy Accents to make it appear more glass-like.  The double sided flower/button adornment was created with a flower punch, buttons, and twine. 

I'm really happy to say that not one single thing was bought to create these boxes -- it's all stuff that I've had for quite a while.  In fact, the patterned paper I used for her robe I found in my scrap files; it's Creative Memories' paper that I've had since before Carter was born, nearly six years ago!  It feels good to use what I've got on hand and not think everything has to be the latest paper lines or trendiest embellishments.  Not that I'm going to become a fanatic about that, or anything. ;)

Wanna know what I plan to put in the boxes?  Here's a peek at a cute little something I found a few weeks ago, with this challenge in mind: 

It's a little 'take-out-style box with four tiny bottles of OPI nail polish (three colors and a bottom/top coat).  *squeal!*  I never use a full bottle of nail polish before it gets all gloppy, do you?  I think these are such a great little size to try out and wear for a season.  In addition to these, I'm going to add a few other mani-pedi items, just in time for summer and open-toed shoes.

Speaking of open-toes, I finally decided on my color for this summer.  I generally pick one color at a time.  Since November, it's been a dark slate metallic, but I let Carter choose this time.  So when you see me with that 'Thomas the Tank Engine' blue color on my toenails?  Don't be surprised!  I'd show you a picture, but then again, no.  You don't really want to see my toes,do you?  Didn't think so...

Enough footsie talk -- let your fingers do the walkin' on over to Kim's blog to check out the other MFT gals' creations, and get inspired to pull out one of your favorite sets!

HELP! I need somebody...

I have to confess: I have a tendency to hoard my cards.  Especially the ones I created during my tenure as one of  SCS's Dirty Dozen.  I slaved and hemmed and hawed over my submissions to the DD Gallery more than most other things I've created, because I always wanted to make sure they were 'Dirt Worthy' -- that they would live up (or at least come as close as I was personally able) to the tradition of excellence established by the Dirty Girls who came before me, as well as those I served with.  I doubt I am unique amongst Dirty Girls in this respect; I think most of us, past and present, felt this way about our DD Gallery 'legacies.'

Recently, a gentleman did something so nice for me that I felt compelled to send him a very special thank you note.  I looked through my cards and decided, yes, even though he's a guy and it might very well end up in his circular file as he will have no idea what a one-of-a-kind objet d'art he has in his possession, his good deed was worthy of my Dirt Worthy effort. 

Anyway, I made this card for the October 2008 'For a Song' gallery (accessible only to members of the SCS Fan Club):

I LOVE the Beatles so, so much, thus when I found this stamp at Viva LasVegastamps I knew I had to have it.  Luckily, it came in handy when the 'For a Song' theme was announced.  The sentiment -- which was a total PITA to properly space and made me profoundly glad that I came of age in the day of the computer and never had to be employed as a typesetter -- was created using a JustRite Stamper.  The background was created using CHF's Open Circles Backgrounder.  Everything -- image, sentiment, and background -- was heat embossed using Powder Keg's awesome embossing powders.  Here's a close up so you can see the sparkle in the blue:

Before I mailed it off, I had to show it a little love and take another picture to share with you, just in case you didn't get a chance to view it in the DD gallery.  Looking at it now, I think I like it so much, I may have to create a stash of 'em. 

But that would mean having to re-set that sentiment...  Hmmm.

Yeah, I'll let you know how that turns out... ;)

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Help Quartet by Viva LasVegastamps!, Open Circles Backgrounder by CHF, sentiment with JustRite

Paper: Real Red, Basic Black, GP White, Classic Blue and Red by Prismatics (Prism Papers)

Ink: VersaMark

Accessories: Sparkling Sapphire and China Red embossing powders by Powder Keg, grosgrain ribbon, foam boosters from Jody Morrow, oversized brads by Kaiser Scrapbook, Nestabilites

Playing Favorites

Hey, peeps!  Guess what?  I'm this week's Fabulous Friend at My Favorite Things!  Go to Kim's blog to see the exclusive Fabulous Friends projects I made and for an oh-so-revealing interview of yours truly.  Here's a little peek of what you'll find there:

Of course, I'm very honored to be one of MFT's Fabulous Friends as I love Kim dearly and MFT stamps are definitely among my very favorite stamps in the whole wide world.

Do you play favorites?  I do.  I tell each of my children he is my favorite, but I'm quite transparent about it, and always do it within earshot of the other.  I tell Truman he is my '#1 son' and I tell Carter that 'I saved the best for last.' 

Why, just last night, I was out in the front driveway playing Frisbee with Sean and Carter (just imagine...).  I wasn't in the best of moods, I admit.  Carter had been bossing me around all day, and Sean had made some semi-harmless comment that hit me wrong (I can't remember what it was, but I'm sure I was quite within my rights to be stomping around, muttering loudly about how taken for granted and mistreated I am).  They had coaxed me outside with the mention of Frisbee, which I kind of love. 

They obviously think I'm so simple that fresh air and the feel of a disc in my hand would instantly dissolve my righteous indignation.

And while it appeared to be so, when Truman walked out the front door a few moments later, I announced loudly to God and the neighbors, "Truman, you are officially my favorite child and family member at this moment."

His response?  "Great, Mom."  And then he proceeded to try to steal any toss that came within 10 square feet of me.  The nerve...

Anyway, go visit Kim's blog and see what handy-yet-beautiful objects I created that I intend to use on a daily basis.  And leave a comment that I'm your Favorite Fabulous Friend; I need someone to appreciate me as CLEARLY I am under-valued by the men in my life!