So some of you are aware that Bill & I have been lackadaisically looking for a new church home for a few years now. Long story and old news, so I won't get into it here. Hubby moved around so much as he was growing up that it's easier for him to feel God in strange places, so he's been letting me figure out where I feel the most comfortable. Anyway, I haven't yet found a place that screamed out 'HOME' to me. Strange, perhaps, but I've been waiting for some kind of significant statement,
feeling, sign, SOMETHING to say "stick around" at a particular church.
One of our family goals for 2014 is to find that home, no more putting it off and sleeping in on Sundays! We've made a list and are visiting twice. Thanks to a timely invite from Jessica, her church jumped the line. Divine Appointment, methinks. My soul desperately needed the balm of corporate worship today. (Everyday, really, but especially after this week.)
CONFESSION TIME: After growing up in a liturgical church with all the bells, whistles & formality that comes with being a conservative Presby maverick congregation, I sometimes struggle with churches lacking in the 'trappings' that I've always equated with church services. I miss the robes, the processional, the organ, the chancel steps & altar cloths. I miss the rarified air of a church building with pews and hymnals tucked into them. I know it's superficial. I do. Really. I don't want a replica of the church in which I was raised...there were many challenges, there, too. As you know from my last post, I resigned my membership shortly before my marriage (more old news). It is easy to become enamored of the trappings themselves and forget to focus on the One those things are meant to magnify. But still I miss them sometimes. Oh, the blessing of voices raised to sing the Lord's Prayer together!
This area is full of lovely churches in lovely little church buildings. Also full of churches held in borrowed school buildings. I usually gravitate toward churches in their own buildings--hard to transport a pipe organ in a church truck--but we've visited congregations of all sorts. Today was the first time I entered a church in a school building and felt like I was actually entering a church sanctuary. There was an almost tangible change in the atmosphere of that school auditorium-- I found myself expecting a sermon and not a lecture on bullying prevention. I settled in to worship, comfortable in a way I hadn't been a long time.
I've spent a lot of time this week wishing I'd been in touch with Linda more, appreciating the blessing of her friendship and mentorship. She's been there for me--even discussing this problem we've had finding a church home--and has often been a spiritual reference point for Bill & I. What Would Linda Think of this church? Weird, but whatever works, right? You will probably think this is weirder, then...
Partway through the service, a woman walked down the aisle to rejoin her family; if I hadn't known that Linda was already with her Heavenly Family, I really would have thought she was visiting the same church. Seriously. Same hairstyle as the last photos I've seen. Same color palette, same posture. My eyes teared and I wondered if I was just seeing things--but her hair bobbed to the music and nodded during the sermon. Gift from God #1...that somehow, Linda was there with me, enjoying the sermon as I had. (Don't worry, my friends, I know it wasn't her in the flesh!) Today's sermon was wonderful...laced with humor and depth!...and about the sovereignty of God and how sometimes that is tough to swallow. Linda would have liked it...her absolute faith and confidence in God's sovereignty AND His Grace would have been pleased by today's lesson.
Gift from God #2: The Benediction. Something I've oft missed in my visiting. Who knew that not all churches close with a Benediction??? And this one, today? The one that defines Benediction in my memories, my heart and my mind; these are the words that, to me, are "The Benediction." The God of Comfort knew I needed to hear familiar and meaningful words today and He gave them to me.
Are these signs that I've found a new home? Only God knows, today, but He has given me the comfort of knowing that there IS a church family out there for our family. Thank you, God. And thank you, Linda, for showing me that you are already looking out for me and my family. (And thank you Sovereign Grace folks for bidding me welcome as a stranger in your midst.)
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
It Had to Happen
I met her when I was 6 years old. She seemed rather old to me even then, but perhaps it was her wise soul that made her seem so. I prayed the "Sinner's Prayer" at her knee during a Children's Sermon and grew in faith every Sunday and Wednesday thanks to her tireless efforts as the Children's Education Director at our fledgling church. Covenant Presbyterian was, back then, a small but sturdy set of believers who had broken away from the Presbytery...a mighty maverick church in the making.
In every child who came through the doors of that converted bar, she instilled a strong faith and steady confidence in the promises of God. And reminded us that "a little child shall lead them" encouraging all of us to be brave in our sharing of the faith. And even as she was a shining neon sign pointing to Him, she had struggles of her own. As we grew and came to understand more, her strength became an inspiration because we saw that her faith had survived the devastating loss of a child.
On Confirmation Sunday, it was her beaming face we sought in the congregation (after our parents', of course!).
She prayed with our parents as we navigated our teenage years. She prayed with us when we brought her our trials, no matter how silly. By taking these things seriously, she taught us to lean on Him for everything.
When we were young women, she was there for us girls, praying over us...even as she grieved her daughter. God knew we all needed each other. Her home was a haven--and often the residence!--for most amongst us. (I used to address her mail to "Wests' Wayside Wigwam for Wonderful Women.") Rarely did it occur to us not to include her in our plans. And it was there, in her own home, that we learned of her greater grief, an unbelieving husband. And we learned to pray for our mentor. And to pray for Godly men to come alongside and share our lives, knowing that it had been her earnest prayer for so long.
When my church refused to allow me to marry there, it was she who came to my side to help plead my case with the Session. It was she who knew my heart. And it was she who comforted me when I turned in my treasured church key and letter of resignation from the congregation. And it was she who knew me well enough to choose to gift my husband and I with her take on Ephesians 5:22 - 33 at our wedding reception:
Five children, 4 moves and almost 20 years later, her encouragement and exhortations from that day are oft repeated in our household. "What would Linda say?" is a frequent query between my husband and I....in a loving way, of course!
She rejoiced over the birth of each of our children. When Patrick was first diagnosed and I was wrestling my faith, she reminded me that I had chose James 1:12 as my Life Verse during Confirmation Class...and then gave me the rest of that passage:
You know, Pastor thought it an odd choice for a 13 year old. I remember telling him that I knew the road ahead might not be easy, and so I was just getting ready. Eighteen years later, Linda remembered that discussion and helped me see that He was readying me for motherhood and the special blessing of a son with bonus features.
On Easter Sundays, it is Linda's voice I hear in my memory, calling out across the churchyard "He is RISEN!" and "He is risen INDEED!"
Linda entered hospice today.
He is calling her Home.
Linda, thank you for building the foundation of my faith by living yours. See you in Heaven.
In every child who came through the doors of that converted bar, she instilled a strong faith and steady confidence in the promises of God. And reminded us that "a little child shall lead them" encouraging all of us to be brave in our sharing of the faith. And even as she was a shining neon sign pointing to Him, she had struggles of her own. As we grew and came to understand more, her strength became an inspiration because we saw that her faith had survived the devastating loss of a child.
On Confirmation Sunday, it was her beaming face we sought in the congregation (after our parents', of course!).
She prayed with our parents as we navigated our teenage years. She prayed with us when we brought her our trials, no matter how silly. By taking these things seriously, she taught us to lean on Him for everything.
When we were young women, she was there for us girls, praying over us...even as she grieved her daughter. God knew we all needed each other. Her home was a haven--and often the residence!--for most amongst us. (I used to address her mail to "Wests' Wayside Wigwam for Wonderful Women.") Rarely did it occur to us not to include her in our plans. And it was there, in her own home, that we learned of her greater grief, an unbelieving husband. And we learned to pray for our mentor. And to pray for Godly men to come alongside and share our lives, knowing that it had been her earnest prayer for so long.
When my church refused to allow me to marry there, it was she who came to my side to help plead my case with the Session. It was she who knew my heart. And it was she who comforted me when I turned in my treasured church key and letter of resignation from the congregation. And it was she who knew me well enough to choose to gift my husband and I with her take on Ephesians 5:22 - 33 at our wedding reception:
22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[a] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”[b] 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Five children, 4 moves and almost 20 years later, her encouragement and exhortations from that day are oft repeated in our household. "What would Linda say?" is a frequent query between my husband and I....in a loving way, of course!
She rejoiced over the birth of each of our children. When Patrick was first diagnosed and I was wrestling my faith, she reminded me that I had chose James 1:12 as my Life Verse during Confirmation Class...and then gave me the rest of that passage:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
 |
| Linda West, 1994 |
On Easter Sundays, it is Linda's voice I hear in my memory, calling out across the churchyard "He is RISEN!" and "He is risen INDEED!"
Linda entered hospice today.
He is calling her Home.
Linda, thank you for building the foundation of my faith by living yours. See you in Heaven.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Just Another Normal Day?
How often do I just blaze on through from one thing to the next, rarely stopping to look around and just ENJOY the moment? So caught up in dealing with the day to day I fail to just appreciate the day itself. *sigh* I don't think this is what God had in mind for me or any of us, for that matter! I found these verses and would like to share them:
Today, I'm home tending to a sick Patrick-man. For a mom of five, taking a sick day to take care of a beastie isn't too far beyond the norm. But Patrick is his own unique brand of sick. He sleeps on the couch with a blanket pulled over his head. He is restless, wakeful now that the fever has broken; each time he wakes, the blanket comes down, he grins sleepily and flashes "I Love You" in sign, blanket back up and back to sleep. We've shared an invaluable moment of connection, he and I. This is a moment to cherish, I realize. Setting aside the thoughts of piles of work waiting on my desk, the dirty dishes in the sink, the laundry piled up, the cleaning undone....I just wait for his next appearance. Weird, maybe, but I think I will accept the challenge to stop and recognize these odd little moments.
What's a 'normal day' anyway? Around here that's an EXCELLENT question! At the very least, we do try to make it normal to tag up at the end of our busy days, spending a few precious minutes together before we all head off to bed. But it looks like we will be accepting a "new normal" soon enough...
This is a big year of change for our family--lots of moving on and moving up! When the new school year begins this summer, Katie will head off to college, Patrick will enter high school and Ben will tackle middle school. (and if you are saying YIKES! in your head, imagine how I'm feeling...) We are all looking forward to the excitement and uncertainty of the future. But I need to remember NOT to look too far ahead, to STAY in the moment. Quite frankly, I'm not entirely sure how I got to the point where I am the Mom of a soon-to-be high school graduate! (but that's a topic for a different blog post!)
There will be visits to Katie at college, new sports to follow, new activities to attend, new challenges to attack. New routines to establish. And yet, somewhere in between, there will be today's normal, too--lacrosse practice, basketball games, choir concerts, homework and school projects--giving us a continuity that won't let us grieve the changes for too long. Cords that weave the past into the future and strengthen our family. When we made the change from "growing family" to "growing-up family" all that time ago, I had no idea that THESE were the kinds of things we would be thinking about so soon.
Now y'all know that I'm a deep thinker, but you're probably wondering what spurred this unlikely bit of introspection? My wise and wonderful friend Alice posted a quote on her FaceBook page recently that encouraged me to get my mojo working to turn it into a little printable so I could frame it as a reminder:
This quote will be on my desk tomorrow, so I don't forget my resolve. If this quote would be a good reminder for you, too...click here to download the file. You can pick a color scheme you like better if you want! (Check these out! Median, Flow, Module, Concourse, Clay) (What do you think of my first attempt at turning a quote into something fun?)
- Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Matthew 6:27
- Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34
Today, I'm home tending to a sick Patrick-man. For a mom of five, taking a sick day to take care of a beastie isn't too far beyond the norm. But Patrick is his own unique brand of sick. He sleeps on the couch with a blanket pulled over his head. He is restless, wakeful now that the fever has broken; each time he wakes, the blanket comes down, he grins sleepily and flashes "I Love You" in sign, blanket back up and back to sleep. We've shared an invaluable moment of connection, he and I. This is a moment to cherish, I realize. Setting aside the thoughts of piles of work waiting on my desk, the dirty dishes in the sink, the laundry piled up, the cleaning undone....I just wait for his next appearance. Weird, maybe, but I think I will accept the challenge to stop and recognize these odd little moments.
What's a 'normal day' anyway? Around here that's an EXCELLENT question! At the very least, we do try to make it normal to tag up at the end of our busy days, spending a few precious minutes together before we all head off to bed. But it looks like we will be accepting a "new normal" soon enough...
This is a big year of change for our family--lots of moving on and moving up! When the new school year begins this summer, Katie will head off to college, Patrick will enter high school and Ben will tackle middle school. (and if you are saying YIKES! in your head, imagine how I'm feeling...) We are all looking forward to the excitement and uncertainty of the future. But I need to remember NOT to look too far ahead, to STAY in the moment. Quite frankly, I'm not entirely sure how I got to the point where I am the Mom of a soon-to-be high school graduate! (but that's a topic for a different blog post!)
There will be visits to Katie at college, new sports to follow, new activities to attend, new challenges to attack. New routines to establish. And yet, somewhere in between, there will be today's normal, too--lacrosse practice, basketball games, choir concerts, homework and school projects--giving us a continuity that won't let us grieve the changes for too long. Cords that weave the past into the future and strengthen our family. When we made the change from "growing family" to "growing-up family" all that time ago, I had no idea that THESE were the kinds of things we would be thinking about so soon.
Now y'all know that I'm a deep thinker, but you're probably wondering what spurred this unlikely bit of introspection? My wise and wonderful friend Alice posted a quote on her FaceBook page recently that encouraged me to get my mojo working to turn it into a little printable so I could frame it as a reminder:
Friday, March 1, 2013
The Blue Rose
My pal Erika Shared this lovely writing with me. It was on a day that I really needed the revelation of a silver lining. (Ever had those moments when you realize you've been waiting for REAL life, only to have to acknowledge 'this IS my life' ?? It was THAT kind of a day.)
It's too good not to share...so I will!
A Blue Rose
Having four visiting family members, my wife was very busy, so I offered to go to the store for her to get some needed items, which included light bulbs, paper towels, trash bags, detergent and Clorox. So off I went.
I scurried around the store, gathered up my goodies and headed for the checkout counter, only to be blocked in the narrow aisle by a young man who appeared to be about sixteen-years-old. I wasn't in a hurry, so I patiently waited for the boy to realize that I was there. This was when he waved his hands excitedly in the air and declared in a loud voice, "Mommy, I'm over here."
It was obvious now, he was mentally challenged and also startled as he turned and saw me standing so close to him, waiting to squeeze by. His eyes widened and surprise exploded on his face as I said, "Hey Buddy, what's your name?"
"My name is Denny and I'm shopping with my mother," he responded proudly.
"Wow," I said, "that's a cool name; I wish my name was Denny, but my name is Steve."
"Steve, like Stevarino?" he asked. "Yes," I answered. "How old are you Denny?"
"How old am I now, Mommy?" he asked his mother as she slowly came over from the next aisle.
"You're fifteen-years-old Denny; now be a good boy and let the man pass by."
I acknowledged her and continued to talk to Denny for several more minutes about summer, bicycles and school. I watched his brown eyes dance with excitement, because he was the center of someone's attention. He then abruptly turned and headed toward the toy section.
Denny's mom had a puzzled look on her face and thanked me for taking the time to talk with her son. She told me that most people wouldn't even look at him, much less talk to him.
I told her that it was my pleasure and then I said something I have no idea where it came from, other than by the prompting of the Holy Spirit. I told her that there are plenty of red, yellow, and pink roses in God's Garden; however, "Blue Roses" are very rare and should be appreciated for their beauty and distinctiveness. You see, Denny is a Blue Rose and if someone doesn't stop and smell that rose with their heart and touch that rose with their kindness, then they've missed a blessing from God.
She was silent for a second, then with a tear in her eye she asked, "Who are you?"
Without thinking I said, "Oh, I'm probably just a dandelion, but I sure love living in God's garden."
She reached out, squeezed my hand and said, "God bless you!" and then I had tears in my eyes.
May I suggest, the next time you see a BLUE ROSE, don't turn your head and walk off. Take the time to smile and say Hello. Why? Because, by the grace of GOD, this mother or father could be you. This could be your child, grandchild, niece or nephew. What a difference a moment can mean to that person or their family.
From an old dandelion! Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.
"People will forget what you said, People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel!" ANON.
It's too good not to share...so I will!
A Blue Rose
Having four visiting family members, my wife was very busy, so I offered to go to the store for her to get some needed items, which included light bulbs, paper towels, trash bags, detergent and Clorox. So off I went.
I scurried around the store, gathered up my goodies and headed for the checkout counter, only to be blocked in the narrow aisle by a young man who appeared to be about sixteen-years-old. I wasn't in a hurry, so I patiently waited for the boy to realize that I was there. This was when he waved his hands excitedly in the air and declared in a loud voice, "Mommy, I'm over here."
It was obvious now, he was mentally challenged and also startled as he turned and saw me standing so close to him, waiting to squeeze by. His eyes widened and surprise exploded on his face as I said, "Hey Buddy, what's your name?"
"My name is Denny and I'm shopping with my mother," he responded proudly.
"Wow," I said, "that's a cool name; I wish my name was Denny, but my name is Steve."
"Steve, like Stevarino?" he asked. "Yes," I answered. "How old are you Denny?"
"How old am I now, Mommy?" he asked his mother as she slowly came over from the next aisle.
"You're fifteen-years-old Denny; now be a good boy and let the man pass by."
I acknowledged her and continued to talk to Denny for several more minutes about summer, bicycles and school. I watched his brown eyes dance with excitement, because he was the center of someone's attention. He then abruptly turned and headed toward the toy section.
Denny's mom had a puzzled look on her face and thanked me for taking the time to talk with her son. She told me that most people wouldn't even look at him, much less talk to him.
I told her that it was my pleasure and then I said something I have no idea where it came from, other than by the prompting of the Holy Spirit. I told her that there are plenty of red, yellow, and pink roses in God's Garden; however, "Blue Roses" are very rare and should be appreciated for their beauty and distinctiveness. You see, Denny is a Blue Rose and if someone doesn't stop and smell that rose with their heart and touch that rose with their kindness, then they've missed a blessing from God.
She was silent for a second, then with a tear in her eye she asked, "Who are you?"
Without thinking I said, "Oh, I'm probably just a dandelion, but I sure love living in God's garden."
She reached out, squeezed my hand and said, "God bless you!" and then I had tears in my eyes.
May I suggest, the next time you see a BLUE ROSE, don't turn your head and walk off. Take the time to smile and say Hello. Why? Because, by the grace of GOD, this mother or father could be you. This could be your child, grandchild, niece or nephew. What a difference a moment can mean to that person or their family.
From an old dandelion! Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.
"People will forget what you said, People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel!" ANON.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Making Art Challenge #46 -- YAY!
Finally managed to get one done before 11 pm on the due date, LOL!! Lovely List-Mama Lori over at Everything Wendy Vecchi threw down gauntlet #46: Using Page #33 of Wendy Vecchi's Third Making Art Book as our inspiration, MAKE ART!! The gist? Use a circle as a base, 3 buttons and at least one Wendy Vecchi stamp! Here's what I came up with:
Started with a 5 inch circle art parts frame. Covered the pieces with coordinating paper from 7 Gypsies' Lille collection. On the base stamp, I used a bit of Antique Linen to darken the paper, then background stamped with the Bubbles from She Created Art in Tea Dye. Topped that off with the Splatters from Ticket to Art in Wild Honey. A few bits of the Queen Anne's Lace from She Created Art in Gathered Twig around the bottom edge and away we went. On the outer frame, I went a wee bit darker: dabs of Tea Dye ink and the funky square background from Optical Art in Rusty Hinge, all edged in Vintage Photo. I spritzed the top frame layer with Perfect Pearls mist in Pearl. Ummm...helpful tip...a LITTLE goes a LOOOOONNNNGGG way! (anyone have any thoughts on how to tone it down a bit, once it's done?)
The butterfly is from Tim Holtz, a grunge board die cut, inked in Rusty Hinge. Same fun background from Optical Art stamped on there in Vintage Photo. After it dried I topped it with Rock Candy Distress Crackle paint. Didn't plan on it, but it ended up in the splatter line of the Perfect Pearls mist spritz...so super sparkly it is! Butterfly's body is a tiny clock hand that I cut open at the end and bent the antennae. ;-) Added another Timism with the subway token "Unique" to finish off the butterfly. The bar sentiment is also from Tim.
Small flowers stamped & cut out from She Created Art. The larger ones are cut from extra background paper and glassine paper with a Martha Stewart punch. Rick rack is distress stained in Tea Dye. I used some Wild Honey and Dried Marmalade to liven up the flowers a bit, too. Be Yourself sentiment is from A Form of Art.
The rest of the random goodies are from my stash.
So, there it is. What fun! Wanna play along? Come join the fun, get inky and Make Art!
The butterfly is from Tim Holtz, a grunge board die cut, inked in Rusty Hinge. Same fun background from Optical Art stamped on there in Vintage Photo. After it dried I topped it with Rock Candy Distress Crackle paint. Didn't plan on it, but it ended up in the splatter line of the Perfect Pearls mist spritz...so super sparkly it is! Butterfly's body is a tiny clock hand that I cut open at the end and bent the antennae. ;-) Added another Timism with the subway token "Unique" to finish off the butterfly. The bar sentiment is also from Tim.
The rest of the random goodies are from my stash.
So, there it is. What fun! Wanna play along? Come join the fun, get inky and Make Art!
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Challenge #45 to MAKE ART!!
Greetings & Salutations! Lovely List-Mama Lori of the Yahoo! Everything Wendy Vecchi group challenged her groupies to Make Art, Wendy Style using page 17 of her 3rd book as our inspiration. Basic theme? Blue with green and dots. Here's mine:
Funny what shows up on film that doesn't look the same in person, LOL. (like the escapee glue seepage! *sigh*) I started with an Art Parts bookframe, inked in Faded Denim, which turned out a wee bit too dark, so I added a layer of Faded Denim Distress Crackle paint. I stamped a few word snippets from Wendy stamps around the edges--"play," "discover," and "enjoy."
Background is a mixture of Salty Ocean (from the YUMMY new summer DI colors!!) and Tumbled Glass. Script background stamp in Shaded Lilac tops that off. Sentiment is Wendy's, embossed in black. Made my own epoxy memo pin using Wendy's fabulous directions and a tidbit from one of her sentiment stamps "see."
Grunge paper shapes from Lord Tim of Holtz--flourishes and arrows--are also inked with the new summer DI colors in Picked Raspberry and Mowed Grass. The arrows have "Life" and "Believe" snippets from Wendy sentiments stamped on them--easier to read in person, methinks. Coated 'em both with Distress Stickles in Rock Candy. Maya Road mini-ticket is stamped with "Love" snippet from a Wendy sentiment, too. Dots, are, of course, quite Wendy.
Flowers, brads & bling are from my stash. Thanks for popping by...check out the group and join the fun when MAC #46 kicks off tomorrow morning!
 |
| EWV MAC #45: Blue & Green with Dots! |
Funny what shows up on film that doesn't look the same in person, LOL. (like the escapee glue seepage! *sigh*) I started with an Art Parts bookframe, inked in Faded Denim, which turned out a wee bit too dark, so I added a layer of Faded Denim Distress Crackle paint. I stamped a few word snippets from Wendy stamps around the edges--"play," "discover," and "enjoy."
Background is a mixture of Salty Ocean (from the YUMMY new summer DI colors!!) and Tumbled Glass. Script background stamp in Shaded Lilac tops that off. Sentiment is Wendy's, embossed in black. Made my own epoxy memo pin using Wendy's fabulous directions and a tidbit from one of her sentiment stamps "see."
Grunge paper shapes from Lord Tim of Holtz--flourishes and arrows--are also inked with the new summer DI colors in Picked Raspberry and Mowed Grass. The arrows have "Life" and "Believe" snippets from Wendy sentiments stamped on them--easier to read in person, methinks. Coated 'em both with Distress Stickles in Rock Candy. Maya Road mini-ticket is stamped with "Love" snippet from a Wendy sentiment, too. Dots, are, of course, quite Wendy.
Flowers, brads & bling are from my stash. Thanks for popping by...check out the group and join the fun when MAC #46 kicks off tomorrow morning!
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Sneaking in Under the Wire...MAC #43
Whoo hooo! Managed to sneak this one in under the wire for the Making Art Challenge #43 over at Everything Wendy Vecchi Yahoo! group. The gauntlet thrown this time? Use 3 circles, 2 hearts and at least one Wendy Studio 490 stamp. List Mama Lori used Wendy's project on Page 28 of her Make Art, Studio 490 Style III book. (if you don't have this one yet...GET IT!!) She gave us 2 weeks to do this one...a good thing, too, since the last week went flying by.
And then there was the "Patrick cleaning incident"....let's just say that my beloved boy decided that he could earn some extra allowance by helping Mommy tidy up her crafting area. A lovely thought, really, but his cleaning concept involved a large trash bag and scissors. His creative cleaning drove a creative rethink on my part, so I started over just this afternoon. Stuck with the same idea, but my poor froggy princess suffered for it, I think, LOL.
Here's my take on the challenge...more ZooCrew than Studio 490 style, but that's how we roll around here! And boy did we ROLL...turned into a fun "Mommy & Me" project with my three youngest as advisers and helpers! What a fun way to spend the evening!
My background is Distress Ink in Shaded Lilac and Dusty Concord using the Wrinkle Free Distress method. Added a spritz or two of Espresso color wash just for fun. Can't really tell too well in the picture, but I clear embossed a Hero Arts heart stamp randomly here & there in the background, too. Overstamped the whole shebang with my fave splatter background by Wendy in CTMH Vanilla Cream.
My pal down in the corner is from Worried About Art, as is the "some days need a DELETE button" sentiment. ;-) The larger sentiment I found at my favorite brick & mortar store, Angela's Happy Stamper. (Figure I can get a LOT of mileage out of it, given the antics of the Zoo Crew!!) Froggy Princess is a converted sticker from CTMH, improved by the addition of a very kissable pout from Wendy's Blossom Bucket embellishments. Her crown and wings were actually Ben's idea...he said that adding 'em would "really crystallize the idea that she's a princess frog, just in case people didn't get the joke." hee hee hee All the kids were chock full of ideas this afternoon, trying to help my creation recover from the Trash Can Adventure. My circles are topaz Swarovski crystals from my stash; hearts are random brads from my stash.
Thanks for visiting and looking at my insanity! Lori will issue Challenge #44 tomorrow...think about getting inky, join the fun and find time to Go Make Art!.
And then there was the "Patrick cleaning incident"....let's just say that my beloved boy decided that he could earn some extra allowance by helping Mommy tidy up her crafting area. A lovely thought, really, but his cleaning concept involved a large trash bag and scissors. His creative cleaning drove a creative rethink on my part, so I started over just this afternoon. Stuck with the same idea, but my poor froggy princess suffered for it, I think, LOL.
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| AGB Making Art Challenge #43 |
Here's my take on the challenge...more ZooCrew than Studio 490 style, but that's how we roll around here! And boy did we ROLL...turned into a fun "Mommy & Me" project with my three youngest as advisers and helpers! What a fun way to spend the evening!
My background is Distress Ink in Shaded Lilac and Dusty Concord using the Wrinkle Free Distress method. Added a spritz or two of Espresso color wash just for fun. Can't really tell too well in the picture, but I clear embossed a Hero Arts heart stamp randomly here & there in the background, too. Overstamped the whole shebang with my fave splatter background by Wendy in CTMH Vanilla Cream.
My pal down in the corner is from Worried About Art, as is the "some days need a DELETE button" sentiment. ;-) The larger sentiment I found at my favorite brick & mortar store, Angela's Happy Stamper. (Figure I can get a LOT of mileage out of it, given the antics of the Zoo Crew!!) Froggy Princess is a converted sticker from CTMH, improved by the addition of a very kissable pout from Wendy's Blossom Bucket embellishments. Her crown and wings were actually Ben's idea...he said that adding 'em would "really crystallize the idea that she's a princess frog, just in case people didn't get the joke." hee hee hee All the kids were chock full of ideas this afternoon, trying to help my creation recover from the Trash Can Adventure. My circles are topaz Swarovski crystals from my stash; hearts are random brads from my stash.
Thanks for visiting and looking at my insanity! Lori will issue Challenge #44 tomorrow...think about getting inky, join the fun and find time to Go Make Art!.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Everything Wendy Vecchi MAC #42
Since the slow return of my creative juices has continued, I ducked into my inks again for the Making Art Challenge #42 over at the Everything Wendy Vecchi Yahoo! Group. Creative List Mama Extraordinaire, Lori, challenged the group to MAKE ART modeled after a project in Wendy's third book, page 36...make a tag with a house on it. Use of at least one stamp from the amazing Studio 490 is, of course, a must.
I just picked up my Spring seasonal Distress Ink set and I've fallen in love with the lovely colors! Decided I'd ink up my tag with Peacock Feathers and Shaded Lilac, added in a wee bit of Tumbled Glass and "voila!". Followed up with a light stamping of a Wendy background (from Celestial Art) in Broken China. Since the theme this week involves a house, I embossed the tag with one of Lord Tim's Sizzix folders that has great architectural details. Hit the high spots with some Dried Marigold and Gathered Twigs.
The house is a Wendy original from the Residential Art set. Stamped it twice, once on a solid background of Dried Marigold and the second on a Peacock Feathers background. Reverse stamped onto some metallic brown paper to cut out a mat. Then , I cut the door out of the marigold version and mounted it on the peacock one to create a 3 layer house. I was playing with my Rock Candy Distress Stickles, so I outlined the roof and the door with it. Stamped "Important Stuff" (Journal Art) on a little dried marigold scrap. "This Side Up" (from Label it Art) stamped & embossed across the bottom--both directions. ;-)
Brads, spinner & metal flower from Tim Holtz Alterations. "Family" acrylic from the $1 bin at AC Moore (SCORE!!). Twill sticky words, sheer orange flower and ribbons from my stash.
Next Challenge will be issued tomorrow bright & early...join the fun and go MAKE ART!!
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| EWV MAC #42: House Fun |
The house is a Wendy original from the Residential Art set. Stamped it twice, once on a solid background of Dried Marigold and the second on a Peacock Feathers background. Reverse stamped onto some metallic brown paper to cut out a mat. Then , I cut the door out of the marigold version and mounted it on the peacock one to create a 3 layer house. I was playing with my Rock Candy Distress Stickles, so I outlined the roof and the door with it. Stamped "Important Stuff" (Journal Art) on a little dried marigold scrap. "This Side Up" (from Label it Art) stamped & embossed across the bottom--both directions. ;-)
Brads, spinner & metal flower from Tim Holtz Alterations. "Family" acrylic from the $1 bin at AC Moore (SCORE!!). Twill sticky words, sheer orange flower and ribbons from my stash.
Next Challenge will be issued tomorrow bright & early...join the fun and go MAKE ART!!
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Inky Again for MAC #41
How wonderful it feels to have inky fingers again!! It's been a weird and rather rough spring for the Zoo Crew (and their Mama, too). My mojo has fled and, well...
'NUFF excuses!!!
Lori, our fabulous and challenging hostess over at Everything Wendy Vecchi tossed an ATC challenge to the group, based on Wendy's Book 3, page 20. Working with these adorable little canvases is fun stuff! I enjoy this format, so figured I should just dive back in. That said, this didn't quite match up to my "vision" but that's OK....I finished it! To quote a stamp I recently acquired...'bad art is better than no art' !!!
I started with a couple of Wendy's super cool Art Parts...an ATC and the stemmed flower. I covered the art parts flower with some Basic Grey Out of Print paper, then stamped the corresponding Studio 490 stamp (Art in Bloom). A little clear embossing powder to shine it up and finished it off with a stippling of Spun Sugar and Shabby Shutters.
The background is sticky-backed canvas. It's spritzed with walnut & cherry blossom inks, then overstamped with the spotty Wendy background from Ticket to Art. Sentiment is another Wendyism (from Tools for Art) stamped onto sticky backed canvas; used a little Worn Lipstick and Spun Sugar to color that up. Bottom lace edge, buttons and baker's twine are all from my stash. Journey charm & memo pin are, of course, from the fun Tim Holtz collection.
Sadly, my photo doesn't do it justice....the color combo is quite nice, if I do say so myself!
I'm picking up Tim's Spring Distress Ink set tomorrow...can't wait to start playing with those!! Wouldn't say the mojo floodgates have opened, but....I'm feeling the flickerings of *some*thing going on in those dusty creative cogs....YAY!
'NUFF excuses!!!
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| Making Art Challenge #41 |
I started with a couple of Wendy's super cool Art Parts...an ATC and the stemmed flower. I covered the art parts flower with some Basic Grey Out of Print paper, then stamped the corresponding Studio 490 stamp (Art in Bloom). A little clear embossing powder to shine it up and finished it off with a stippling of Spun Sugar and Shabby Shutters.
The background is sticky-backed canvas. It's spritzed with walnut & cherry blossom inks, then overstamped with the spotty Wendy background from Ticket to Art. Sentiment is another Wendyism (from Tools for Art) stamped onto sticky backed canvas; used a little Worn Lipstick and Spun Sugar to color that up. Bottom lace edge, buttons and baker's twine are all from my stash. Journey charm & memo pin are, of course, from the fun Tim Holtz collection.
Sadly, my photo doesn't do it justice....the color combo is quite nice, if I do say so myself!
I'm picking up Tim's Spring Distress Ink set tomorrow...can't wait to start playing with those!! Wouldn't say the mojo floodgates have opened, but....I'm feeling the flickerings of *some*thing going on in those dusty creative cogs....YAY!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Lessons Learned from a Week of Mondays
Last week was, well, pretty crappy. Errr...pukey. VERY pukey. Started on Sunday afternoon with a houseful of kiddos feeling so ill they were completely disinterested in SuperBowl snacks. (Crazy, right?) *sigh* The week just "got better" from there...and even Friday brought little relief. (Though my attitude was much improved just by virtue of Fridayness.)
The good news is that I had the opportunity to prepare for half-times at Saturday's Upward Basketball games. I got a little tired of listening to myself whine. (OK, a LOT!) So I decided to see if I could tie a week of Mondays to Valentine's Day and the Universe's Ultimate Valentine. Rather, I tuned into some major Divine prodding...and this is the result, which I shared (in random iterations) during half-times on this last Saturday. I was incredibly blessed by the opportunity to share these thoughts with the Upward families. After a few requests for the write-up, I thought I'd share here on my blog:
The good news is that I had the opportunity to prepare for half-times at Saturday's Upward Basketball games. I got a little tired of listening to myself whine. (OK, a LOT!) So I decided to see if I could tie a week of Mondays to Valentine's Day and the Universe's Ultimate Valentine. Rather, I tuned into some major Divine prodding...and this is the result, which I shared (in random iterations) during half-times on this last Saturday. I was incredibly blessed by the opportunity to share these thoughts with the Upward families. After a few requests for the write-up, I thought I'd share here on my blog:
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…anyone know what Tuesday
is?? (Valentine’s Day)
Anyone here hoping for one of those BIG
mushy, flowery cards cut in the shape of a heart? Maybe some flowers? A box of chocolates? A stuffed animal? Got big plans for a romantic night out?
No plans?
Going through a dry spell or a loss?
Well, I’m not trying to be a wet blanket
here, but, well, get ready for disappointment.
What if the card isn’t mushy enough? The flowers wilty the chocolates
all those weird nutty ones? What if you
are alone? What if the stuffed animal isn’t big & fluffy enough?
Don’t worry!! No need to turn into a Valentine's Day Protester…you’ve got a chance
to get to know the best Valentine EVER.
You could even say the Universe's Ultimate Valentine!! In the Psalms, we are told: For
as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who
fear him (Psalm 103:11).
I don’t know about you, but I have no CLUE exactly how high
the heavens are above the earth, so I’m just going with “that’s a really long
way.” And let's assume that I've accepted the reality of God's love for me. But I'm a people. And people need reassurance sometimes. So, just how do I know? How does He show it? (I'm hearing that song from the movie "Enchanted" in my head right now!) Just ask Him!!!…later in the Psalms, we find out
that David did just that! In Psalm 143:8
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I
should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
Have you ever had one of THOSE weeks? The kind where you muddle through, praying
for Friday? Well, long about Monday #3, I got pretty sick of wallowing in myself. So, I went looking for
encouragement this week and I found it in a rather odd place—the book of
Lamentations. YUP, Lamentations!! (Okay, I'll admit that I usually skip that one--right up there with Leviticus!)
Lam
3:22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his
compassions never fail.
So there you go… God’s love is there even in a week of
Mondays—and sometimes easier to spot because we need to be LOOKING for it
actively. No great big stuffed up bears
fell from the sky into my arms, no M & Ms rained down on me, but rather small, unexpected moments brought Him to
mind. A few examples from my week, in
retrospect:
- a 7 year old beastie who thanked me for cleaning up her puke (no, really!)
- a surprise latte delivered straight to my desk by a thoughtful co-worker
- the *right* song playing on the radio at just the right time (Check out "Lift Me Up" by The Afters--GREAT song!!)
- a brilliant, clear 4am star filled sky and a lovely bright crescent moon on my way to work
- a 16 year old joining in a family Veggie Tales sing-a-long when she thought we weren’t looking
- And my favorite…a random conversation with my children about WHY God made a bazillion kinds of flowers instead of just one. (I LOVE this idea!) Think about it...He loved us soooo much that he gave us a HUGE variety of flowers, trees, what have you, knowing that, like him, we would enjoy variety. WOW!
Here’s what else I’ve learned this week. God’s greatest gift of love is the Cross,
true. That kind of amazing event doesn’t happen
every day…but the demonstrations of His enduring love DO! It’s not just hearts
& flowers that romance us to His side. We have His love letter—the Bible—and we have
each other.
So, Upward families…a challenge for you—be on the
lookout. What Valentines did God send
YOU this week?
Monday, September 19, 2011
Everything Wendy Vecchi: Making Art Challenge #26
This week Making Art Challenge #26 rolled around on Everything Wendy Vecchi...and List Hostess extraordinaire Lori challenged us to create a Studio 490esque project based on Page 27 of Wendy Vecchi's Making Art Book #2. Rough guidelines were to use polka dots, a face and, of course, at least one Studio 490 stamp.
Inspiration struck when I received my package from the wonderful gals over at Absolutely Everything which included a sampler package of Wendy's Clearly For Art. I decided to try to play with it a bit for this project...learned a few things! (Um...this stuff gets hot. So does the air coming out of a heating tool. So do the tweezers or clamps you use to hold your Clearly for Art embellishment.) I have a lot more to learn about this fun medium...in the meantime, I like the flowers. ;-) Also tried a different--for me--color palette than my usual blues & greens, and I think I'll have to try these colors more often.
Lacking possession of a Wendy face, I had to go a different route. Luckily, I benefited from a recent stash sale by Susan K, a fellow Wendy Vecchian. I started with a Studio 490 Art Parts ATC, thinking I would crop the face quite a bit, but when I saw the whole face together, I just had to leave her the way she was. ;-) (She did lose a bit of her mouth...but the eyes were the key feature here anyway!) The lady on the base is stamped on a background of Dried Marigold, Antique Paper, Scattered Straw and a wee bit of Pumice Stone. Script background is from Hero Arts stamped in Pumice Stone. My gal is stamped in Frayed Burlap.
Wings are more Art Parts, stained with Fired Brick. I softened the color a wee bit with some Worn Lipstick Distress Ink on top. To make the flowers, I used a couple of different Wendy stamps on Clearly for Art and grunge paper. Orange floral bits are punched from the same background as the framed sentiment. The grunge paper flower is stained & inked with Fired Brick & Dried Marigold.
Sentiment is Wendy's, stamped in black archival. I wanted to punch up the color a little--was hoping to pull more of the orange tone from the base--so the sentiment background is Wild Honey, Dried Marigold and Scattered Straw. Frame is another Art Part, stained in multiple layers of Dried Marigold. Polka Dots on sentiment background are in Frayed Burlap; on the frame in Vintage Photo. I put a layer of Rock Candy Distress Stickles on the grunge flower, wings and the small frame to give 'em some sparkle.
Artful charm is from Tim Holtz. Random other stuff from my stash.
Thoughts? Tips? Suggestions? For TRUE inspiration, join the fun with the talented ladies at Everything Wendy Vecchi ...Challenge #27 should kick off on Wednesday morning!
Inspiration struck when I received my package from the wonderful gals over at Absolutely Everything which included a sampler package of Wendy's Clearly For Art. I decided to try to play with it a bit for this project...learned a few things! (Um...this stuff gets hot. So does the air coming out of a heating tool. So do the tweezers or clamps you use to hold your Clearly for Art embellishment.) I have a lot more to learn about this fun medium...in the meantime, I like the flowers. ;-) Also tried a different--for me--color palette than my usual blues & greens, and I think I'll have to try these colors more often.
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| EVW MAC #26: Face & Polka Dots |
Wings are more Art Parts, stained with Fired Brick. I softened the color a wee bit with some Worn Lipstick Distress Ink on top. To make the flowers, I used a couple of different Wendy stamps on Clearly for Art and grunge paper. Orange floral bits are punched from the same background as the framed sentiment. The grunge paper flower is stained & inked with Fired Brick & Dried Marigold.
Sentiment is Wendy's, stamped in black archival. I wanted to punch up the color a little--was hoping to pull more of the orange tone from the base--so the sentiment background is Wild Honey, Dried Marigold and Scattered Straw. Frame is another Art Part, stained in multiple layers of Dried Marigold. Polka Dots on sentiment background are in Frayed Burlap; on the frame in Vintage Photo. I put a layer of Rock Candy Distress Stickles on the grunge flower, wings and the small frame to give 'em some sparkle.
Artful charm is from Tim Holtz. Random other stuff from my stash.
Thoughts? Tips? Suggestions? For TRUE inspiration, join the fun with the talented ladies at Everything Wendy Vecchi ...Challenge #27 should kick off on Wednesday morning!
Catching Up: Everything Wendy Vecchi MAC #25
I've been behind the 8 ball for a few weeks....in my house, this is how we know that school started again!!...jumped into the Making Art Challenge #25 over at Everything Wendy Vecchi, but didn't finish it before the challenge time was up. But since I went to all the effort to finish it up, I'm gonna inflict it on you, despite my tardiness!! hee hee hee
The challenge was to create a tag using only one or two of Wendy's Studio 490 stamp sets. Since I had a crazy idea to do a tag that told a little story, I picked Gentleman's Art and Residential Art. Tried my hand stamping onto an Art Part, too.
I started with a manilla tag, stamping a Stamping Up background stamp called "Ticking" in Scattered Straw, embossed with clear. Inked it up with Peeled Paint and Shabby Shutters. The gentleman is one of Wendy's Art Parts; he's inked up with Distress Stain in Story Skies. I stamped the coordinating stamp on top of him in Black Soot, then embossed with black Zing powder. Helpful tip...make sure you are stamping the right side of the guy!! (That whole spatial relationships thing still eludes me!)
A few Creative Memories punchies--flowers & heart--and some thread from my stash make up the bouquet. Journaling ticket is from Tim Holtz; edged Pumice Stone. Last touch? A few dots of black Enamel Accents and....VOILA!!
Never guess it took me so long to finish this simple project...but packing 5 lunches is really time consuming!! LOL!!
We've moved on to Making Art Challenge #26 (post to follow soon!) and Challenge #27 will begin on Wednesday this week. But do check out the fun by clicking here: Everything Wendy Vecchi.
The challenge was to create a tag using only one or two of Wendy's Studio 490 stamp sets. Since I had a crazy idea to do a tag that told a little story, I picked Gentleman's Art and Residential Art. Tried my hand stamping onto an Art Part, too.
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| EWV MAC #25 |
A few Creative Memories punchies--flowers & heart--and some thread from my stash make up the bouquet. Journaling ticket is from Tim Holtz; edged Pumice Stone. Last touch? A few dots of black Enamel Accents and....VOILA!!
Never guess it took me so long to finish this simple project...but packing 5 lunches is really time consuming!! LOL!!
We've moved on to Making Art Challenge #26 (post to follow soon!) and Challenge #27 will begin on Wednesday this week. But do check out the fun by clicking here: Everything Wendy Vecchi.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Everything Wendy Vecchi...MAC #22
This week's challenge from Lori at Everything Wendy Vecchi is from Wendy's first book, page 15. We needed to make a card using two similar border strips and a scalloped edge. Use of at least one Wendy Studio 490 stamp goes without saying, of course! I learned three valuable "whoops!" type lessons with this project...
Keeping with my plan to learn some new techniques and try working with new materials this week, I made my base from a piece of grunge paper, something I'm still trying to figure out. I used Peeled Paint distress stain to ink it up...I really wanted a nice brightish color. (Sidenote...cannot seem to get a decent picture of the colors here...in real life, the greens are nice and bright, offset by nice light, medium & dark blues. *sigh*) Once it was dry, I spritzed it with a little Faded Jeans. Rounded the corners on the left edge; used a Martha Stewart scallop punch to create the required scallop edge. Okay, not so creative, but well...
I used two coordinating pieces of Making Memories paper--a light blue gingham print and a bright green stripe--for my borders. Stamped 'em with Wendy's polka dot and splatter background stamps in CTMH Outdoor Denim. On the blue gingham, I topped it off with some Pumice Stone just for fun. 'tude Lady was stamped on grunge, inked in Outdoor Denim and embossed with clear. Lesson Learned #1...If you are going to cut out your image, do it BEFORE you emboss!!
Lesson Learned #2...heating grunge makes it curl, which makes it even weirder when you've already attached regular paper that doesn't curl. Harder to flatten, too. How did I learn this? I stamped & embossed Wendy's sentiment (and my little twist--there's a question mark under the flower petals) AFTER I had the border strips attached. Also added part of another Wendy sentiment in Peeled Paint along the right edge..."Attitude.:
The crown to go with the royal sentiment is a bit of grunge board from Tim Holtz's random die cut package. First attempt, I inked it in Outdoor Denim, then embossed with both clear and diamond sparkle powders. Lesson Learned #3...apparently, you CAN over emboss. You'll note that the crown now bears a coating of Stickles in Tiara. ;-)
Rayon seam binding dipped in Peeled Paint and Faded Denim stains makes my card a tag. Flowers & buttons are from my stash. Needed a wee bit "more" so my Peeled Paint distress stickles came in handy for some dotty fun.
Join the fun yourself and check out the talented contributions of fellow Wendy Vecchians by clicking here.
PS: Lesson Learned that I Should Have Already Known...when used to cover up embossing mistakes, stickles take a REALLY long time to dry!! But I have a nice sparkley thumb now...
Keeping with my plan to learn some new techniques and try working with new materials this week, I made my base from a piece of grunge paper, something I'm still trying to figure out. I used Peeled Paint distress stain to ink it up...I really wanted a nice brightish color. (Sidenote...cannot seem to get a decent picture of the colors here...in real life, the greens are nice and bright, offset by nice light, medium & dark blues. *sigh*) Once it was dry, I spritzed it with a little Faded Jeans. Rounded the corners on the left edge; used a Martha Stewart scallop punch to create the required scallop edge. Okay, not so creative, but well...
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| EWV MAC #22 |
Lesson Learned #2...heating grunge makes it curl, which makes it even weirder when you've already attached regular paper that doesn't curl. Harder to flatten, too. How did I learn this? I stamped & embossed Wendy's sentiment (and my little twist--there's a question mark under the flower petals) AFTER I had the border strips attached. Also added part of another Wendy sentiment in Peeled Paint along the right edge..."Attitude.:
The crown to go with the royal sentiment is a bit of grunge board from Tim Holtz's random die cut package. First attempt, I inked it in Outdoor Denim, then embossed with both clear and diamond sparkle powders. Lesson Learned #3...apparently, you CAN over emboss. You'll note that the crown now bears a coating of Stickles in Tiara. ;-)
Rayon seam binding dipped in Peeled Paint and Faded Denim stains makes my card a tag. Flowers & buttons are from my stash. Needed a wee bit "more" so my Peeled Paint distress stickles came in handy for some dotty fun.
Join the fun yourself and check out the talented contributions of fellow Wendy Vecchians by clicking here.
PS: Lesson Learned that I Should Have Already Known...when used to cover up embossing mistakes, stickles take a REALLY long time to dry!! But I have a nice sparkley thumb now...
Monday, August 15, 2011
Simon Says...Stamp & Show us some Tim Holtz
The talented folk over at Simon Says Stamp & Show asked us to show them a Tim Holtz technique. I pulled out my personal copy of A Compendium of Curiosities and perused the volume on a quest to find something new and fun to try. Settled on a couple of new—to me—techniques: Rusted Grunge (page 45) and Double Distress (page 40). Here goes:
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| Simon Says Stamp & Show Us some TIM HOLTZ |
My base is a piece of grunge paper inked in Vintage Velvet and Peeled Paint. After it dried, I ran it through my Texture Boutique with a Postcard texture fade (also from THE Tim) Next, the Double Distress technique calls for you to take a coordinating color and rub the pad direct over the raised areas. I used Forest Moss for that step. Next, you take a darker color—I used Black Soot—and wipe the pad directly on your nonstick mat. Face down, swipe the embossed item across the darker ink. I like the results…the second step only hits the highest points and really highlights the texture of the design. That Tim Holtz is a smart guy!
The Rusted Grunge bit is the bookplate in the upper right corner. Originally, it was a grunge board bit from Tim’s assortment of pre-cut designs. Embossing ink, Vintage Photo Distress embossing powder and a few swipes of Vintage Photo Distress Ink later…and there we go! Years of rust in a few short minutes.
The photo, clock face, ticket & 27 are from Tim’s Lost & Found Idea-ology sticker book. Sentiment is also Tim’s, as are the foliage leaves and paper clip. Crackle Accents helped age those up a bit. Flowers, brads, rhinestones & charm are from my stash.
Ended up mounting the whole thing on a piece of cardstock that I inked up in the same colors—Vintage Velvet and Peeled Paint. I like how the white cardstock took the ink differently from the grunge, but sets it all off well.
This was a great learning experience…thanks Simon Says Stamp& Show!
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