Happy Birthday to ... ME!

At 10:06 p.m. EST, I will turn 38. So technically, I'm still 37 as I type this. And on the inside? I still feel like I'm thirteen, with big ol' glasses, braces, and a bad perm. Can you relate? : )

I woke up early to work on today's autumnal Color Challenge, which is to use River Rock, Really Rust, and Chocolate Chip. I pulled out these cute scarecrows by Close to My Heart, and looked through my stash of patterned paper; this Simply Seasonable stripe by EK Success/Inspirables fit the bill perfectly. I used the sketch that Bad Sherry Cheever featured for her and Jeanne S's weekly Just Because We Wanna Challenge. The card base is a 5.5" square.

Supplies: Stamps -- CTMH Scarecrow Party, leaves from Holiday Blitz by Stampin Up!, sentiment from Faux Ribbon by PaperTrey Ink; Paper -- Really Rust, River Rock, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, dp by EK Success/Inspirables; Ink -- Chocolate Chip, Staz-On Opague White, River Rock re-inker; Accessories -- SU! Stampin Write markers, ribbon, paper piercing tool and SU! Mat Pack, oval punches, 3-D Dots

Other Happy News...
You could have knocked me over with a feather when I looked in my email in box this past Sunday and found an email from the one and only Nichole Heady, world famous paper artist and co-founder of PaperTrey Ink, one of the most innovative and stylish stamp manufacturers in the industry! I had submitted my Altered Jack pumpkin for consideration to PaperTrey's guest star stamper contest. While Jack didn't win the big prize, he did earn an Honorable Mention and was featured on Nichole's blog! Nichole said that there were over 450 entries this month, so being one of the Honorable Mentions isn't half bad.

I'm trying to submit more and more of my stuff to various places to see where it might lead. A very important lesson I've learned from writing is not to take rejection personally. That was a really bitter pill that took a long time to swallow, but now that it's finally digested, I'm cured of thinking my worth as a writer, stamper, etc., is contingent upon whether or not a particular agent, editor, design team or what have you accepts or rejects a particular project. As my good friend, writer Will Clarke once told me, "Who cares if they don't like your stuff? They're just not you're tribe." The challenge is not necessarily to change your style, but rather it's to find your tribe: where your style fits the look and feel -- the 'vibe' if you will -- that company or publisher is going for. That being said, I do think that one always needs to be in the process of refining one's craft, and for those like me who are looking for their tribe in the paper crafting industry, Lisa Strahl (Mona Lisa) has some excellent advice on her blog.

Anyway, the email and blog feature from Nichole was a nice little boost and very encouraging. Are you ready for me to quit blabbing and tell you how to make an altered pumpkin of your very own? Okay then!

* Supplies needed: decorative pumpkin (you can get these on the cheap at WalMart); ModPodge; foam paint brush; patterned paper, cut into various sizes of square and rectangles -- don't worry at all about measuring; brown Staz-On; ribbon; optional: stamps -- Spooky Sweets by PaperTrey Ink
* Ink the edges of your patterned paper with Staz-On
* Adhere the pieces of paper to the pumpkin with ModPodge, slightly overlapping each piece to make sure the pumpkin is completely covered. After you've initially stuck the paper to the pumpkin, spread a light coat of ModPodge on top of the paper to give it sheen and help it stick. Smooth the paper as you go to avoid bubbles and wrinkles.
*Let the pumpkin dry for several hours or overnight. Meanwhile, stamp the face of the pumpkin on a coordinating color of cardstock.
* Adhere face to pumpkin with ModPodge.
*Tie ribbon on the stem.

Now you have a cute little pumpkin that won't rot and can be enjoyed for years to come!

Posted at 06:24 AM in Close To My Heart, PaperTrey Ink, Random Chatter, SCS Challenges | Permalink

Comments

GET OUT A HERE! OMG this pumpkin is so fabulous and utterly creative!!!!! I must try one of these -- never even thought about it -- Girl it is GORGEOUS!!!! It is so worthy of an honorable mention -- WOO HOO AND CONGRATS!

Posted by: Sherry Cheever | September 18, 2007 at 08:16 AM

Posted by: Sherry Cheever | September 18, 2007 at 08:18 AM