Left brain, right brain

I've got an art journal page to share today.

 

I took the colors from this inspiration photo over at the Paper Girls challenge

Here's some close-ups:

My writing is hard to read over the circle "stamp" (I used a paint dabber on a mask and stamped it on the page) but it says: analytical, rational, mechanical engineering, computer programmer, detail-oriented, practical, organized, math, science

  

This side says: crafter, scatterbrained, cardmaking, scrapbooking, mixed media, daydreamer, creative, procrastinator, impulsive, easily distracted.

 

Thanks for stopping by today!

 

 

Supplies:

life definition stamp is Unity's Giving it all meaning

book stamp is from Hodge Podge of Happiness

heart with wings stamp is from the Just You kit of the month



Where have I been??

So...I haven't blogged in over a month.

What's up with that?

 

Here's a recap of what happened in that month. I was in the Practical Scrappers card contest. I made it into the Top 25 with this love-themed card:

(This card is also currently on the ScrapbookSteals.com blog as one of their top project tutorials - I did a stamping marker tutorial for them. You can vote for your top 3 projects on their Pinterest board and win a big $140 Bo Bunny prize package through March 24th. http://scrapbook.steals.com/wp/2013/03/15/scrapbooksteals-pinspiration-giveaway/)

 

I was then voted on to the Top 20 and submitted this for the next challenge of birthday card with polka dots:

 

Again, I was voted on to the Top 15 and submitted this based on an inspiration photo:

 

I moved on to the Top 10 and had to create a black and white card with a pop of color so I made this:

Of course, secretly I was kinda hoping to not make it because the pressure to create was so hard sometimes and waiting a week between rounds to find out who moved on was brutal!

I somehow managed to make it to the Top 5. What?! Well, I did! The next assignment was to make a card using our favorite manufacturer, favorite color, and favorite technique. Well, I don't have favorites :(  I tried so many different things and started so many different cards and nothing was working. I just over-thought everything.

 

So the very last morning one hour before the card was due I managed to make this. I didn't really like it too much and knew it wouldn't make it to the top 3 but
I had to submit something and it was the only card that got completed.

So I sent it in. And it's better to finish last than not to finish at all right?? :)

Well, I did not make it into the top 3 and win any of the prizes. But it was fun to compete with such talented ladies and see some friends win.

And March is a very busy birthday month for us. 4 of the 6 people in this house have a March birthday!! My "baby" turned 3!! My niece turned 14, hubby turned 38, and my oldest will turn 9 in a few days. Whew. I've had more cake than you can imagine. Plus, we had an extra party at my hubby's grandparents' farm to celebrate not only our kids and hubby's birthday, but also his sister's birthday and the grandparents' anniversary. C-r-a-z-y.

 

blowing out his candles at his playdate party:

 

shortly after all the guests left:

 

some photos from the birthday dinner out:

And I changed my blog design. I thought it was a bit busy and chaotic before. But now it may be too boring. It needs some color and flowers or something I think.

 

Anyway. Thanks for stopping by and I'll be back tomorrow with my Paper Girls Challenge project.

2nd grade

 I scrapped! It's been so long. I really should do this more often. One page done, a thousand to go...

This is my oldest son's school pic from last year.

 

I used Unity's new {be inspired}layout sketch and lots of washi for The Paper Girls current challenge.

Everything patterned is washi - the banners, the strips along the top and bottom edges, the graph print behind the photo and in the corner, and of course the strips on the photo corners.

I heat-embossed some gears and fussy cut some as well.

A stack of books was necessary for this kid who always has a book in his hand!



That's my guy!

 

Thanks for stopping by today!

 

 


Supply List

Unity stamps:
Nuts and Bolts - awesome word, gears and nuts
Hod Podge of Happiness - book stack
A Little Grunge Love - arrow
Tattered Chicken Wire
What I Know {KOM 8/11} - notebook journaling block

Sweet Stamp Shop:
Geek Chic - apple, book worm

Talk Nerdy to Me...

I love this stamp set from Sweet Stamp Shop and just had to use it for the next round of the cardmaking contest I'm in. We were to use an inspiration photo and the card was to be for a male. SO this was my valentines card to my hubby!

 We are such geeks. It was just perfect.
 

I started with black ink splatters and strips of washi tape. Then I colored that little bookworm using Spectrum Noir alcohol markers from Crafters Companion and popped her with foam.







She is SO cute!

Of course she needed a stack of books and that awesome sentiment!

 

Voting for this round is open until Wednesday night. So if you don't mind - would you go vote? Pretty please?? http://www.practicalscrappers.com/2013/02/card-contest-top-16.html You can vote for up to 3 cards. Which was really tough since I have 5 friends in the contest too.



 

Thanks for stopping by today!



A Trio of Valentines

I finally convinced both my boys to let me make their class valentines this year! They always love picking out their favorite licensed characters at the store. But they were kind enough to let me make them this time!

 

 

First up is my 6-year-old's Army man:

This is our interpretation of this original idea. He loves all things boy and Army and this was perfect for him!

 

 

My 2-year-old saw big brothers getting cards and wanted his own too. I'm sure you've seen several fishbowl ideas all over the internet and Pinterest. Some have Swedish fish, some Goldfish. Lots of "Glad we're in the same school" sentiments. But he isn't in school. So we adapted this sentiment instead. It says I o'fish'ally like you, Valentine!

I found the image in a Word clip art and sized it to fit in these clear goody bags and added the sentiment. Just throw in some Goldfish crackers (because what 2-yo doesn't love those!) and you're done. Try this doc I made if you'd like to make these yourself.

 

 

And finally is my 8-year-old's ipod. he just received his first mp3 player for Christmas and is really loving music right now so these were just perfect! Original idea is from Spoonful (formerly Family Fun magazine). They used mini peanut butter cups, but I chose to use Hershey's kisses like she did here.

Spoonful gives you a premade scrollwheel and playlist and one you can customize but there is only one to print at a time. I needed way too many for that. So I created my own and am sharing them here and here to save you time! I hope these work - I've never tried sharing a doc before!

 

Directions

 

I started by cutting cardstock to 4" x 6 1/4" (I got 3 out of 12"x12" cardstock)

Then I scored at the 2.5", 3", 5.5", and 6" marks.

Below you can see the score marks and where the printouts will go too. You can add them before or after assembly.

Then you'll just fold on the score marks and tape shut. I used my tape runner to run tape on that last 1/4" of cardstock and taped that to the inside of the box.

 

Now for the earbuds I taped 12" lengths of twine to 2 Hershey's kisses (make sure you remove the flag from the candy). You can use round stickers if you have them. I did not. So I punched paper circles and placed them on glue dots.

 Then the glue dot stickers were used to tape twine to the kisses.

 

To attach to the candy I punched a hole in the side of the box. A standard hole punch was too big and my mini punch was too small. So I just punched three small holes with the mini to get a good sized hole.

 

Feed the middle of the twine through the hole and tie a knot on the inside. I kinda placed my holes too high. Put them a little lower and they'll look like they are plugged in!

My son really wanted m&m candies so we put a little Fun Size bag inside. I just used a glue dot to attach. The bags are kinda waxy and won't pull the glue dot off the sheet. So I had to pull it off with my fingers and stick it to the candy and then press on the inside of the cardstock.

 You could use any candy of any thickness by just adjusting the scoremarks to make this box thicker than half an inch.

 Here are some of the many that we made!

 

Thanks for stopping by today!

 

 

Linking up to:

Think Pink Sunday

Making the World Cuter Monday

Link Up Tuesday

Take it on Tuesday
Your Whims Wednesday

GIU Winner!!

Thanks to all of you who stopped by my blog last week and commented!

And an even bigger thanks to all my new followers! I tried to follow you all back. I hope I didn't miss anyone.

My week as the Growing in Unity gal was so much fun!

 

 

And now for the winner of the 2 Unity Itty Bitty stamps of their choice....

 

Denise Bryant

 

 

Denise, please email me at amberloyana @ yahoo .com and let me know which 2 Itty Bitty stamps  you would like!

 

 

Thanks for stopping by today and have a great week!

Delight, GIU Day 5

Ahh, it's the last day of my week as the GIU girl at Unity Stamps! I've had so much fun reading all your wonderful comments!!

 

If you're just finding this today, just make sure you leave a comment on all my GIU posts this week for your chance of winning 2 Itty Bitty stamps of your choice from Unity.

 

For my last day I've got one last card to share:

 That delightful sentiment is from Delightful Little Things and the flower is from You + Me = Bliss.

 

 

 I just love fussy-cutting these flowers.

 

Thanks for stopping by this week!

 

I'll announce the winner of the Itty Bitty stamps on Monday.

 

-----

Oh - and I made it to the next round of the Practical Scrappers cardmaking contest! If you have time, would you mind voting on your favorites for this round? I have several friends in the running too. Thanks so much! http://www.practicalscrappers.com/2013/02/top-20-card-contest.html

Here's the card I entered:

 



GIU 4, Fearfully and wonderfully made, an art journal page

It's day 4 of GIU! You know the drill by now - comment for your chance to win free stamps from Unity Stamp Co!

 

 

I have a confession.

 

I'm a procraftinator.

As much as I love to create and get all messy and inky, I also have guilt about my hobby. It's hard for me to craft when there are dishes and laundry to be done, kids to be bathed and put to bed, etc.

 

So I push off the fun stuff until all the work gets done. The other problem is that I'm a horrible housekeeper too. Ugh. Nothing gets done! :)

 

Anyway, the point is that I don't have a card prepared for today. So last night I made a page in my art journal instead. To me it's much easier than thinking about the layout, colors, etc of a card.

 

I just grabbed whatever paints, inks, and stamps were within reach and started going:

 

I stamped Vintage Handwritten and Tattered Chicken Wire on the background but then muted them out with gesso when I thought it was too bold. So they are hard to see.

 

I stamped some flourishes from Growing in Unity and Learn Discover Grow with a paint dabber.

 

While I'd love to claim that big flower doodle as mine I have to admit that it's Amy Tan's from one of her Sketchbook collection papers. All I did was color it.

 And that fun barcode is from a set called Capture Life that is not available on the Unity website anymore but I found it here if you're interested. It's so much fun. You can pick what word to insert for the code.

*Well, it's just been brought to my attention that Unity has put this set back in the store this week for Nostalgia weekend when they bring back old sets. What are the chances??? Check it out here.*

Anyway.

Thanks for stopping by today!

 

 

I hope you all have an amazing day!!



GIU Day 3, I miss seeing you

Welcome to day 3 of my Growing in Unity week at Unity Stamp Company!

Come by every day this week and leave me a comment. At the end of the week I will randomly pick a winner and Unity will give you your choice of 2 Itty Bitty stamps!

 

Today I used the December 2011 Kit of the Month called Filled with Love:

 Again, I used paper from Studio Calico Take Note. My sentiment is stamped on a piece of scrap paper lying on my table! I just attached it with washi and called it done. :)

 

 

And speaking of washi tape, would you like to win some? I thought you'd say yes!

Head on over to The Paper Girls Blog and enter our giveaway sponsored by DowntownTape.com.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by today!



GIU Day 2, I will love the light

Today is day 2 in my Growing in Unity week! Every day this week I will post a project using Unity stamps and when you comment you are entered to win your choice of 2 Itty Bitty stamps!


 I was digging through my stamps and when I saw this sentiment from the Delightful Little Things set I knew exactly who I wanted to make a card for. I have a dear sweet friend going through some tough times and I hope this card will bring her some comfort.

Yellow and gray are one of her fave color combos too.

 

Patterned paper is from Studio Calico Take Note.

Twine is from Pick Your Plum.

There is also some glitter glue on the stars in the sentiment. But you probably can't tell from my far-from-stellar photo. It would help if I didn't wait until night to take photos!!

 

Thanks for stopping by today!

:)