Mother's Little Helper

High Art Hot Dog

For whatever reason, Taylored Expressions' August Stamp of the Month kit brought out my naughty side. Mind you, that's not exactly a difficult thing to do when one considers I have the sense of humor of a thirteen-year-old boy. See what I mean?

It's supposed to look like an aerial view of a campfire. The more I look at it though, besides the obvious wiener reference, there's something very Georgia O'Keefe-y about that campfire, created using TE's new Build-A-Scene Sunshine and Swirly Clouds dies. I take back my thirteen-year-old boy comment. This is HIGH ART!  As Carter used to say, "The family is proud!"

 

 

Taylored Expressions - August Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Hey there, campers!  This month's Taylored Expressions SOTM (Stamp of the Month) and Key Ingredients Kits are sure to make all you happy wanderers even happier!  Wait 'til you see how cute it is...

Here's the stamp set, S'MORE FUN:

And here are the contents of the August Key Ingredients Kit:

Our family owns a very neglected RV (we definitely need to remedy that; maybe this fall...  I could go off on a tangent here, but I will restrain myself), and thus I adore any kind of RV/trailer/camper stamp.  For my hop card, I wanted to create a little RV-park-at-night scene. Then, as I got to playing, my mind wandered in its typical direction, and I came up with this:

The above is my card, still.  And here it is in motion, thanks to the wonders that are Action Wobble Springs:

If the trailer is rockin', don't come a-knockin'!

{Dear Taylor, I'm sorry. Somebody had to go there, and you knew it'd be me. That's why I'm here. You know it, I know it; let's not pretend otherwise. I love you, man! xoxo ~ Carole}

For all the info on how you can get your hands on these subscription-only goodies, visit HERE on the Taylored Expressions website.  Now it's time to hit the open road and see what the rest of the Baker's Dozen and Key Ingredients Team members have to share around the campfire:

Amy Crockett

Carole Burrage (you are here!)

Cassie Trask

Charmaine Ikach

Jami Sibley

Jen Shults

Joan Ervin

Kerri Michaud

Monika Davis

Sankari Wegman

Shannon White

Shelly Mercado

Stephanie Kraft

Tammie Edgerton

Taylor VanBruggen

Tracy Clemente

Supplies used:

 

March IHP Design Team Challenge

Hey, hipsters!  Do I ever have a treat for you today.  Something that is right up your progressive, ironic tee-shirt wearing, Wes Anderson-movie-lovin' alley.  Despite my advanced age, I have been accused of being a hipster, myself. Of course, I have to deny this as I contain multitudes and cannot be boxed in by convenient labels. However, if I were to take an objective inventory of myself and compare it to those accoutrements typically designated as 'hipster'...  Glasses?  Check. Vans-and-or-other-vintage-shoe brand wearing?  Check.  Scarf?  On occasion.  Moleskin notebook and calendar?  But of course. Contradictory desire to reject abject capitalism while desirous of every new Apple and/or stamping product that hits the market?  You know it.

First things, first, however.  Today is that dandy day in which all of i {heart} papers' Core Design Team participates in a monthly challenge.  This month's challenge as issued by the sweetest of the sweet, Deb Felts, is to choose something from among all of the past IHP DT challenges.  Easy enough!  I chose: "Anything Goes" which was the challenge theme for March and September of 2011, as well as July of 2012.  Like I said in the previous paragraph, I reject your box, society -- ANYTHING GOES!  Stamping anarchy!

Here's what my crazy, rebellious self put together for the challenge, your enjoyment, and to STICK IT TO THE MAN:

Meet my not-so-little friend, Jeffrey (not to be confused with Geoffrey, the corporate shill for Toys 'R' Us) the Hipster Giraffe from Avery Elle's WHAT'S UP? stamp set.  Gotta tell you, I'm totally diggin' on Avery Elle  - super fun, clever, and oh-so on trend.  This sentiment just cracks me up:

Now, you may ask yourself, "Who would I send such a card to?"  My answer is: to all of my hipster friends who deny that they're hipsters.  It's a Catch-22, you know?  Real hipsters deny they're hipsters.  If you identify yourself as a hipster, it's prima facie proof that you're not a hipster.  CONUNDRUM!

What isn't a conundrum?  The fact that this giraffe is pretty darn cute in his Wayfarers, scarf, and studied-stubbly beard:

Please note Glossy-Accented glasses (real lenses, not poked-out just so he can wear the frames).  Jeffrey and his sky background were colored with Spectrum Noir markers.  His very trendy background papers come courtesy of Echo Park's Sweet Girl 6"x6" pad.

Shall we make our leisurely way onto the other IHP Designers' blogs?  Sure, why not? (It's not cool to display too much enthusiasm, you know...)

The i {heart} papers team:

• March's guest designer, Mary Dawn Quirindongo
• Carole
• Deb
• Gretchen
• Judy
• Lori
• Taylor
• Tracy
• Kate

Supplies available at i {heart} papers:

• What's Up? stamp set by Avery Elle
• Sweet Girl 6"x6" paper pad by Echo Park
• Spectrum Noir markers
• Crafter's Companion Ultrasmooth Premium White Cardstock
• Momento Tuxedo Black ink
• My Mind's Eye Washi Tape - black
• Dimensional Dots

Other: True Black cardstock (PTI), Glossy Accents (Ranger), General's Pastel Chalk Pencils (for shading stubble), blending stump

Two VERY IMPORTANT Things

FIRST of all, check out this FABULOUS new chair I got for my craft room:

Please ignore dog nose prints on the window and all the clutter on the side of my cardstock file cabinet.  It's one of the only magnetic surfaces in the house.  Since we're looking at it, though, let me share with you a couple of funny magnets friends have given me over the years.  Mind you, I have no idea what it is about me that inspired these gifts, but they make me giggle, I must admit.

Farm animal butts from Cammie, artwork and poetry by Truman, circa 2003.

From my GF Heather. :)

A truism from my buddy Jen del Muro.

Can't remember who gave me this one, but there are days when this rings so true.

This one, I bought myself because it reminded me of Claremore.  Hey - look at that cute, young gal in the photo.  There I am, on a field trip to the Zoo, tying Truman's shoe.  Look how young - 33 - and cute I was!  (I'm sure I thought I was fat when it was taken, of course...)  Now, I'm totally depressed - I am NOT aging well. Of course, I've had another kid and become a politician's wife since then, which, as Anne LaMott would say, is enough to make even Jesus want to drink gin from the cat bowl.

Which brings me to the SECOND very important thing: to see for yourself just how badly I am aging, head on over to the There She Goes blog, where I'm hosting Stampbook Saturday.  You will have a special place in heaven if you say I look good in the photo.  I don't care if you have to lie to do so (just don't tell me you're that lying).

Have a great Saturday, peeps!

Believe It or Not...

... I have actually written something resembling a tutorial.  But not really, because I don't know what the heck I'm doing.  But at least, I tried to demonstrate how I bumble-fumble my way into familiarity with a new-to-me coloring medium: Derwent Inktense Watercolor Pencils.

You'll need to head over to the There She Goes blog to witness this comedy of errors.  If you have an extra second while you're there, leave me a little love.  Maybe that will convince the TSG PTB that they didn't make a huge mistake in asking me to be a part of their team... ;)

 

PS - If you need more convincing to click on over to my TSG post, here's a little quote I pulled from it: "Thanks, Dick!"  Come on - anyone who has the stomach to regularly read my blog CAN'T RESIST that kind of teaser!

Taylored Expressions March Sneak Peek: Oh Snap!

As I promised yesterday, today's Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek was created with a very special stamping friend in mind.  I don't know about you, but when I first entered the world of online paper crafting, I thought it was tiny bit crazy and even a little embarrassing to have 'online friends.'  That was about seven years or so ago, and now, thanks to various Splitcoast events and biannual Craft & Hobby Association shows, I've met many of my online friends in person, and those relationships have been 'legitimized' into what the uninitiated would consider actual, genuine friendships.  I'm still the only person I know among my family and those friends I see on a regular basis who has the kind of online community I've found in the stamping and papercrafting world. But thanks to the wellspring of support and camaraderie I've found via my internet connection and a shared crafty passion, it no longer gives me embarrassment goosebumps to admit that I have real friends whom I've never met in person. 

Of all my yet-to-meet-in-person friends, the person I'm DYING to get together with most is the fabulous LIBBY HICKSON.  We share so much in common in addition to stamping: sons named Carter, far too much knowledge about Thomas the Tank Engine, identical political perspectives, similar tastes in literature, and warped senses of humor.  We both love bright colors and funky images, to boot.  But I think the thing that elevates our relationship from merely friends to switched-at-birth material is our teenaged devotion to and lifelong nostalgia for... DURAN DURAN!  And specifically, bass player John Taylor.

Libby has created and sent me two of my most favorite cards that I've ever received in my life, and they are on prominent and permanent display in my craft room.  Here they are (images stolen from Libby's blog):

and...

Aren't those AMAZING? 

So, that's the backstory on my relationship with Libby.  Fast forward to a couple of months ago when, for some reason, I got into an ebay trading card buying binge (I know, I know - I'm weird; as I age I'm less defensive about that fact.  I yam what I yam).  I bought several sets of Charlie's Angels trading cards and got a great deal on 1,000 Duran Duran trading cards/stickers - I was sure I could figure out a way to craft with them, plus I like surrounding myself with goofy/kitschy things from my youth.

Little did I know at the time, but only 33 DD trading were ever created (in 1985 - circa the 'Arena' live album, Duranies will note similarity in the cards' and album's graphics) (<--- perhaps the geekiest thing I've ever typed), which means I have roughly 30 sets of NOT new-in-package Duran Duran trading cards taking up space in my craft room. *sigh*

(I know this is long, but bear with me now - I'm getting to the new stuff...)

Lo and behold, out comes Taylored Expressions with the new OH SNAP! stamp set, OH SNAP CAMERA DIES, and INSTANT PHOTO FRAME DIES!  I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them when I got them in my nail-bitten, always-cold hands.

Libby, this one's for you...

And here's a close up of that super cute camera, complete with authentic, Polaroid rainbow-stripe detailing:

You can see from the above photo that I fussy cut the stamped image on Choice Snow White cardstock then glued it on a kraft die cut made with the corresponding Oh Snap Camera die.  I then stamped the flash, lens, and photo-slot-thingy at the bottom, colored them with Copics, and mounted them with foam mounting tape for depth.  Stardust Stickles highlights the flash and viewfinder, and the sentiment is glued to look like a picture being spit out from the camera.  See:

This will soon be on its way to Libby, along with 10 or so sets of Duran Duran cards.  Let's see what she can make with them, shall we?

(By the way, this also qualifies for the Moxie Fab World Camera Craze Challenge - you know I love a twofer! :) )

Speaking of what other talented stampers are making, be sure to visit my Baker's Dozen teammates and our fabulous Guest Designer to see what they're sneaky peeking for your inspiration today.  I've seen a bunch of their projects already, and believe me when I tell you they are BREATHTAKING (even if they don't feature John Taylor)!

Broni Holcombe

Carole Burrage

Charmaine Ikach

Jen Shults

Kerri Mchaud

Sankari Wegman

Shannon White

Shelly Mercado

Stephanie Kraft

Tammie Edgerton

Taylor VanBruggen

Wanda Guess

See you tomorrow, when I'll be back with something equally snappy for TE Release Day!

 

Get a Room!

That's what I'd like to say to this frisky twosome from Taylored Expressions' Animals in Love - Whales stamp set:

They can't keep their fins off of each other! I mean, they're spouting¹ hearts from their blowholes, for Pete's sake. Here's a close up of the money shot²...

It would be positively pornographic if it weren't so cute.  I've mentioned before that I have strong feelings about certain species and will avoid stamping particular animals if I can³.  Whales around the world will be relieved to know they make the cut.  I like whales. Whales are preppy⁴.  And my hometown of Claremore, America, is just a couple of miles down historic Route 66 from one of the largest whales in captivity:

Source

So whales are good, provided they behave themselves.

Card Details

• Supplies available from Taylored Expressions: Animals in Love - Whales stamp, sentiment from Stuck on You stamp set, Banner Stacklets 1 dies, Small Scalloped Border die, Choice Snow White Cardstock, Copic Markers, Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Other supplies: Alphabet Junction 6x6 pad (Carta Bella), Wild Wasabi ink (SU), Chevron Trendy Tape (i {heart} papers), Oval Nestabilities, Jody's foam boosters
• The sketch was one of Taylor's sketch challenges, TESC152.  You can download the Taylored Expressions Sketch Book by clicking on the button located on the sidebar of Taylor's blog.

Footnotes

1.  JUST THINK of all the synonyms I could have used instead of 'spouting.'  That's called RESTRAINT, people.

2.  Further evidence of my restraint: I avoided the obvious 'sperm whale' wordplay.

3.  Yes, elephants, I am talking about you.

4.  See Vineyard Vines.  Also, see this awesome Fair Isle Sweater from back in the day...

Source

I would so totally wear that sweater right now...

  (<-- pretend that's a whale instead of a dolphin)

Everything is Beautiful, In Its Own Way...

(Remember that song?  Showing my age...)

This weekend, my darling husband and I went to my Bunco group's annual Christmas party.  December is the one month out of the year we allow the men to join us.  My Bunco group hasn't actually played Bunco in at least five years, but the twelve of us get together monthly at a member's house to have dinner, wine, and gifts.

This year, our December hostess decided we needed to have an Ugly Christmas Sweater contest. I dug into my mother's closet, and the best I could come up with was this:

And from behind:

That just wouldn't do.  I would have to make "improvements."  I thought long and hard about what makes a truly Ugly Christmas Sweater.  Like paper crafters, I figure sweater designers don't set out to make something ugly; rather, they have good intentions, but they take the motif too far, and don't/can't edit. So, after a quick trip to Hobby Lobby, and with the aid of a hot glue gun, my sad little jacket was transformed into this GORGEOUSLY GARISH garment:

Pipe cleaner wreaths (little bows made with the help of my Bow Easy - thanks, Jody!) with jingle bells made sure there was music wherever I went.  Pom-pom trim around the cuffs, collar and bottom added movement and texture.  But nothing - I repeat, NOTHING! - says "class" like poinsettia pasties, don't you agree?

Thanks to My Favorite Things' lovely new Poinsettia Die-Namic and homemade tassels made with embroidery floss, I had the best bedazzled breasts of all the Bunco babes in attendance.  (Note: the Merry Christmas ornaments on the sleeves were torn off before the party because they wouldn't stay stuck, and I was in too big of a hurry to glue them down properly.)

One must look as good from behind as from the front, don't you think?

And don't forget the reason for the season!

Mary looks like she's giggling, doesn't she?

You'll be happy to hear I won the contest.  My stiffest competition?  My aforementioned darling husband, who was the only man to wear a true Christmas sweater (a pastel cardigan festooned with snowmen, also culled from Mom's closet).  Sean is not only very secure in his masculinity, he's also game, as is a requirement to be married to yours truly for 19+ years. 

Here's a little tune so you can sing-a-long with me.  You're welcome! ;)

 

Pumpkins & Pirates

Good morning, Glories!  (I'm writing this at 6 a.m., which is why I say 'morning,' but if you happen to be reading in the afternoon or evening, please substitute 'morning' with whatever time of day is appropriate.  That probably goes without saying, but typing it out gets my rusty fingers going...)

My stamps from The Cat's Pajamas have been feeling pretty neglected, and I fear Sprinkle (TCP's feline mascot) is about to give me a nasty case of Cat Scratch Fever (try to get that song out of your head, now; you're welcome!) if I don't show 'em some love.  This week's TCP TUESDAY challenge - a color challenge hosted by the loverly Lori Tecler - is the perfect opportunity to show Sprinkle & crew that I haven't forgot them. 

Here's what I came up with...

I used the oh-so-fun HELLO, PUMPKIN set featuring everyone's favorite penguin trio, and paper-pieced the pumpkins and Larry's scarf.  Then, I fussy-cut around the image and popped it up on foam boosters on top of a Jenni Bowlin Mini Bingo card that I've had in my stash forever.  Another stash-dweller -- the Imaginesce jack-o-lantern brad -- was rescued from oblivion to adorn the paper flowers made with TCP's Button Flowers CutUps dies.  The sketch is this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch (#170), courtesy of spider-lovin' Karen Giron. :)

Yesterday was Pirate Day at Carter's school.  It's Red Ribbon Week; an annual campaign for alcohol/tobacco/drug/violence/frog-licking, etc., prevention.  I'm not sure that prior to this week Carter had an awareness of tobacco or drugs (can't say the same for alcohol, as Mama does like her wine), but he does now as he came home Monday full of facts about the dangers of drug use and addiction.  And even though we just had a week full of dress-up days (or as I call them, "distractions") for Homecoming week -- not to mention that they're allowed to wear their Halloween costumes to school next week -- little Blackbeard, to your left, set sail. {Can you tell Mama thinks dress-up days are a PITA and basically a waste of a school week?  I thought perhaps I was being too subtle... ;)}

If nothing else, Carter did come home with an AWESOME pirate accent and two actually funny jokes (as opposed to most of his repertoire, which are of the painful knock-knock variety).

Q: Where to Pirates like to shop?

A: Tarrrgh-get!

Q: What's a Pirate's favorite restaurant?

A: Arrrgh-by's!

Q: What's a Pirate's second favorite restaurant?

A: Carrrghl's Junirrrgh!

 

Carrrgh-ter's a chip off the old block, is he not?!  Well, I'd better get going -- gotta get ready for "Crazy Hair Day."

 

Supplies used - Stamps: Hello Pumpkin from The Cat's Pajamas; Paper: patterned paper from Echo Park's Dots & Stripes - Homefront and Pebbles' Seen & Noted (6"x6"), Intense Kiwi (Prism), Basic Gray (SU!), Orange Fizz and Perfect Panels (MFT); Ink: Marvy Matchables Black; Accessories: TCP CutUps Dies (Pinking, Flower Buttons, banner from Easy Rosette), Copic markers, Jenni Bowlin Mini Bingo Card, Imaginese brad, foam boosters from Jody Morrow's Sticky Stuff Store.

Happy Memorial Mojo Monday!

For those of us in the U.S., today is Memorial Day - a holiday when we remember those soldiers who have died in wars, and when celebrate the start of summer vacation season with barbecues, etc.  On a more personal note, the Oklahoma legislative session officially ends on the Friday before Memorial Day, which means my husband is back home full-time, and not in OKC Monday - Thursday.

 

After four long months, it's always good to get him home and get back into our regular family rhythms. Thus, I'm dedicating this Mojo Monday card to my dearest. I know he'll be so touched and flattered... ;)

First, though, let me show you this week's Mojo Monday sketch.  Because it's the last Monday of the month, you've got a choice whether to make it Round or Square:

This one's for you, Honey...

{hee}

Man, do I ever love a good hot dog!  My favorites are Nathan's, and everytime I'm in the Phoenix airport, I have to have one with mustard and sauerkraut, regardless of what time it is.  Mmmm... Locally, it's hard to beat the ones from QuikTrip (a regional gas/convenience store chain).  This particular hot dog is from Paper Smooches' ALFRESCO set.  I love that Kim draws little smilies you can stamp on the food, as I am particularly fond of food-with-faces.  They just make me happy!  I wanted it to look like my hot dog was on a plate, so I used The Cat's Pajamas' Easy Rosette die, flat and embossed, then backed it with the dark gray cardstock to make it pop from the background.  My sentiment detail is the smaller Easy Rosette, flat, embellished with a button, Lemon Divine Twine, and a sentiment flag.  The 'Hot Dog!' sentiment is from The Cat's Pajamas, too.

Here's my weenie, up close and personal...

 

(Sorry, couldn't resist...)  Mr. Meyer was color with Copics and his mustard was given a coat of Honeysuckle Transparent Art Glitter by Barbara Trombley.  The patterned papers were selected to give it the homey-feel of a backyard barbecue (neighborhood - from Pink Paislee's Hometown Summer; gingham - from Echo Park's A Boy's Life; and dots - from Echo Park's Dots & Stripes, Soda Fountain.  All are 6"x6").

You'll want to go to the Mojo Monday blog for all of the details on how to play along with this week's sketch, and for more takes on this week's sketch, be sure to visit my fellow Mojo Makers:

• Debbie Carriere
• Mary Fish
• Teresa Kline
• Stephanie Kraft

Have a wonderful day! :)

A {Better-Late-Than-Never} Mojo Monday & Ode to Camela Anderson

Hey there, gang!  Sorry if you tried earlier to see my take on this week's Mojo Monday sketch.  I actually had my card done early; I think I was the first Mojo Maker to upload hers into our DT album, to tell the truth.  That's a FIRST, believe me!  But then, as fate would have it (in the form of my father-in-law having quadruple bypass surgery on Easter Sunday), I was unable to get to the computer until just this very second to create my post. Life sometimes gets in the way, you know?  Fortunately, our family patriarch came through with flying colors. I guess the Burrage family is keeping the medical profession busy this month with Mike's surgery yesterday and Carter's next week. You're welcome, doctors and nurses of the world!

Back to this week's Mojo Monday sketch...

I was looking at my calendar right before I sat down (EARLY, as I mentioned before) to work on this week's sketch, and I noticed a dear friend of mine's birthday is later this month.  I know when her special day rolls around, I'll be in the big middle of mayhem and too busy to create a card just for her, so I *thoughtfully* decided to get to work early. It also helped that I had just received said friend's SIGNATURE IMAGE from Paper Smooches.  If you're a longtime reader of my blog, you'll have no problem figuring out who this particular card will be going to...

Those of you who are relatively new readers may ask, "Who on earth has a camel as a signature image?  Well, besides Joe Camel..."  My friend - let's call her 'Camela Anderson' - is well known within the stamping industry, not only for her lovely creations, but also for a rather unfortunate tendancy to wear snug trousers. You know how the Grinch's heart is 3 sizes too small?  So are this gal's pants, if you know what I mean.  Evidentally her family of origin thinks so, too, as they're the ones who gave her the nickname by which she is commonly known, and which is a not-so-subtle reference to her affliction.  Still, we must not judge books by their covers nor friends by their fashion faux pas. And, since those of us who love her can't convince her to beat her nasty habit, I say we celebrate it!

Happy EARLY Birthday, Camela!  Your sigil was colored in with Copics and popped up on foam boosters.  I *lovingly* hand-stitched around the image layer and the background layer with embroidery thread.  The sweet patterned papers are from Doodlebug Design's Sugar & Spice 6"x6" pad.  The sentiment is from Paper Smooches' Sentiment Sampler, and the camel is from PS's Zoo Crew set.

Visit to the Mojo Monday blog for more info about how you can play along with this week's sketch.  And be sure to visit my fellow Mojo Makers for further inspiration:

• Debbie Carriere
• Mary Fish
• Sarah Bigelow
• Teresa Kline

 LOVE YOU, CAMSTER! :)