Mother's Little Helper

Study, Study - School's Your Buddy!

I used to say that all the time to Sean (when we were in undergrad and law school together, which seems like both yesterday and a couple of lifetimes ago) and to Truman, when he was in elementary school. Not sure why I quit saying it and/or why I haven't beaten it to a pulp, likewise, with Carter. Maybe he's just lucky.

More likely, because, unlike Truman, Carter is one of those kiddos whom you have to sit down and do homework with, much to my chagrin. Before, I used to think parents did homework with their children (as opposed kids doing it for themselves, by themselves) did so because they were either helicopter parents or they needed to discipline their kids to do it themselves. So judge-y of me; "Not my child!" Famous last words, right?  Left to his own devices, Carter will sit and daydream, and a worksheet that should take 5 minutes will take an hour, with me coming in and out of the room a dozen times, telling him to get back to work. Plus, for lengthier homework assignments, I have to be his scribe because of his fine motor skills issues. It's enough to make me want to drink gin from the dog dish, I tell you.

Why have I gone off on this particular tangent? Because I made an education-themed card for the current YNS Sketch & Color Challenge (#27). I opted for the sketch, which looks like so:

Here's my version:

I wanted to make a quick card because I'm leaving this afternoon (I'm writing this on Thursday) to meet a bunch of girlfriends from my old hometown to see REO Speedwagon at the Tulsa Hard Rock Casino. Fun! So, I looked through my stamp sets for an image I wouldn't have to color or fuss too much with. Large sentiments, like this Einstein quote from YNS's Little Darling Belle stamp set are perfect for such times.

The "A to B" part of the quote reminded me that there was a cute and colorful alphabet pattern in my recently purchased "Teacher's Pet" by Echo Park 6"x6" paper pad. Added some cork for texture, a bit of ruler washi tape (that I first put on white card stock, then trimmed; it kind of goes against the simplicity of slapping on some washi tape, but I prefer the washi tape to retain its color. It's so sheer that if you put it on colored card stock or patterned paper, it looks messed up, in my opinion) adhered at a tilt, and a fun little paper clip to play up the school theme. 

Other YNS products used: Stitched Square Die Set.

Something like this would be good for inclusion in a gift pack of cards to one of my educator friends or one of Carter's teachers. It could also work as a graduation card, of which I am always in need.

Visit the YNS Blog to see what the other participating YNS designers have put together for your inspiration. There, you'll also find graphics for the color challenge, as well as info about how you can play along and possibly win FORTUNE & FAME (up to $20 in YNS moola and/or be selected as the YNS Top Pick. Top Pick-ers get featured on the YNS Blog and a nifty badge to wear on their blog, proclaiming them as a winner of this major award).

Okay, gang. Gotta go ROLL WITH THE CHANGES. Fortunately, the weather is clear so I won't have to be RIDIN' THE STORM OUT. Thanks for stopping by to see me. And remember, I'm gonna KEEP ON LOVING YOU.

(I'll stop with the REO puns now.)

 

YNS November New Release Blog Hop

Are you ready are you ready are you ready?! Lots of fun/new stamps, dies and Gumdrops are now available from Your Next Stamp! If you haven't finished shopping or can't decide what you want, never fear: we have a blog hop to show off all the new wares and to persuade you that you really need it ALL. :) 

If you've been hopping in order, you've stopped by via sweet SUE.  If you just happened to visit me, be sure to start at the beginning with the oh-so-awesome ANITA. Remember, if you want to win a $25 YNS Gift Certificate, your best odds come by leaving comments at every blog. None of us know which lucky designer is "it" -- only the POWERS THAT BE (I'm thinking mainly Karen) know from whose blog the winner will be randomly selected. I always think/hope I'm "it" and that one of my readers/commenters will be the lucky one. Let's think about that together and make it so, mmm-kay? Power of attraction, and all that jazz...

Enough jibber-jabber. On with the show!

My first project combines two of my life's great loves: dogs and wine! For me, it just doesn't get any better than the new SIT STAY DRINK stamp set and dies. Take a look at this here wine tag, and you'll see what I mean:

Because she's so distinctive with her brown eye-patch, I tend to make every dog stamp I encounter these days look like my sweet rescue girlie, Daisy. If only Daisy was so talented as to balance a glass of wine on her head, I'd never need to get up from the couch again!

Here's a close up of the wine-tag, where hopefully you can tell that I've heat embossed the clever sentiment:

I'm truly thinking I need to mass-produce about a dozen of these to hang on wine bottles for the holiday season ahead. You can never have too many wine tags when you need a quick-and-easy host/hostess gift.

Next up, I used the new SPRINKLES - KNIT HAPPENS stamps and dies to create an homage to that object of holiday humor: the ugly Christmas sweater. Take a look-see:

I actually kind of love this and I'm thinking I made need to get an album-sized shadow box and make a permanent Christmas decoration featuring dozens of variations on the Ugly Christmas Sweater. What do you think? The images on these sweaters were fussy cut from patterned paper in Doodlebug Designs' Santa Express 6"x 6" paper pad. I especially love the one that looks like Mark Darcy (from Bridget Jones' Diary)'s reindeer sweater. Makes me giggle!

I'd chatter more, but I know you're anxious to get along to the next stop on our hop -- our marvelous guest designer MARTHA. Don't forget to leave a comment here and everywhere for a chance to win the $25 YNS Gift Certificate. And, as always, Karen has generously extended an awesome discount for those who are ready to shop NOW (my kind of people!).

 

Winter Joys (YNS Sneak Peek)

Winter joys, you ask? Didn't it just turn fall, like, last week? Yes, especially when you live in my part of the world, where it's still warm enough that no jacket is required (shout out to Phil Collins!). Still, we papercrafters have to be ahead of the actual calendar so that we can that we can show fellow enthusiasts what they NEED in time to create their seasonal projects. In real life, though, I'm still firmly in early November. Case in point: last week, I stood in line behind a woman who was telling the clerk that she had already completed her Christmas shopping. I was very restrained. I did not say a word, and I fought the impulse to stab her in the neck with the stylus attached to the credit card reader. I took a deep breath and told myself, "Self. You have plenty of time left to shop. You are a good person, even if there are gifts in your closet that you still haven't delivered from last Christmas. The holidays have not beat you. Yet."

Back to my crafty non-real-life... Tomorrow YOUR NEXT STAMP is coming out with its November release. Huzzah! As it is YNS Release Day Eve, I've got a sneak peek for you of an ADORABLE (<--- when I all-cap, you know I mean what I say) new stamp and die set, ICE SKATING PHOEBE.  Phoebe is the latest recurring character from YNS's original flagship illustrator, the fabulous Fhiona. Everything Fhiona draws is darling, and Ice Skating Phoebe is no exception.  Check her out:

Ain't she sweet, as she glides along her amazingly symmetrical, tree-lined frozen pond? Here's a fun-fact for you to know and tell: see that silvery-blue cardstock I used to create Pheobe's pond (die-cutting it with good ol' Nestabilites Labels 14, which are now offically 'vintage' as I don't think you can buy them but from a third-party seller these days)? I scored it from the packaging of a set of Sonicare toothbrushes I bought at Costco last week. It was a big, 12"x12" sheet; so pretty and shiney - I couldn't let it go to waste.

As always, Ice Skating Phoebe has a coordinating die set. Here's a look at the complete stamp set.  I love the font selected for all the sentiments, don't you?

Here's a close-up of Sweet Miss Phoebe (she wanted me to let you know that those little brown 'hairs' are low-lights):

YNS is releasing two new collections of sparkly Gumdrops tomorrow. Here, I've used the new ICE ICE BABY Gumdrops. (Saying that makes me smile. It's all I can do not to type "Stop. Collaborate and listen...") Other YNS products used on this card include Banner - Piercing Holes Die Set; it's what gives the sentiment layer that marquee look.

For those of you interested in card-making details: I used the Ice Skating Phoebe die set to cut out Phoebe and her trees with Copic X-Press cardstock. I stamped the images onto the die-cuts with Momento Tuxedo Black ink, using my handy-dandy MISTI. Next, I outlined the snowcovered branches and colored the tree trunks with Copics, before tracing the snow outlines with Stardust Stickles. I set those aside to dry, then got to coloring Phoebe. The background patterned paper is from Doodlebug Designs' Frosty Friends 6"x6" paper.  The sentiment and cardbase are made with MFT's Smooth White cardstock, and the sentiment is stamped in SU!'s Brilliant Blue ink.  Various layers and images are popped up for depth and dimension using Jody Boosters.

Okay, friendlies. That's it for me today. Be sure to check out all the other sneak peeks the YNS designers have created for your viewing pleasure. A link-list of participating designers is on the YNS Blog.  I'll be back tomorrow with more to share.  Thanks for stopping by to visit me!