CHA Week - Challenge 4 - WORDS

I love words. Oftentimes, I will read something and it will immediately evoke a feeling and an image - much more vividly than an actual picture.

My challenge for you today is to mimic that. Read the quote - and create something with the image and feeling that it inspires in you...

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time. ~John Lubbock

For me, this quote inspired the blissful feeling of a lazy summer day... The Retro BBQ set was perfect....

To get this cool "wet" effect, color your image like normal, and then squirt a thin layer of diamond glaze over the top and leave it to dry. if you get any little air bubbles, just take a sharp pen and pop them. Diamond glaze will not "travel" over the lines so it stays where you put it. The needle tip of this 2 oz bottle is perfect.



I can't wait to see what you all come up with!!!

July 30 Hip Hop

Good morning everyone!! Welcome to Hip Hop for July 30. Its summer CHA and I'm feeling blue.... blue because I'm NOT IN FLORIDA. Ahhh. I've been stalking facebook and the message boards looking for pictures. Waiting anxiously for more unity pix... :)

Its finally (almost) August and we're featuring the August Kit of the Month. SO SO CUTE!!! I was inspired to create right away....

Love this Oh SNAP stamp. :)

And the heart flutter was so pretty.




Thanks for stopping by. Your next stop is

Renee

Enjoy the rest of your hop. Hip hop!

baby shower

Its a big baby year in our extended family. My cousins are having their first baby - a boy to my son's everlasting happiness (we are a family of girls).... The baby shower was a blast. I made a card using the BoBunny Calypso line, and a stamp from Rubber Romance - it really kind of looks like my cousin A:

And here is the gift - another pair of pocket swaddlers for the baby, wrapping a cute doggie stuffed animal. These are fun to make.
TFL! Wendy

Stampavie

oh, how I love Stampavie images!! I felt like coloring, so I made a sweet thank you card from this Rachelle Ann Miller design. They always make me smile...



This uses using the fabulous Basic Grey Lemonade.

"yikes"

Sometimes, I just want to get lost in playing with paper, without stressing about design. In times like that, I will turn to a sketch or a lift of a favorite designer....

Here, I did a quick layout with a hard picture to scrap, based upon a basic grey layout by Kelly Goree...., using October Afternoon NightLight. TFL! Wendy

July 23 Hip Hop

Good morning everyone!! Welcome to Hip Hop for July 23.

We're a-holidaying again, and this week, my first project plays with the new Halloween Tree stamp, and the Trick or Treat Peeps kit.



My second project uses the July Kit of the Month, a pocket full of..., and Sketch 238 (SC238) -



Thanks for stopping by. Your next stop is the ever fabulous

LAURA

Enjoy the rest of your hop. Hip hop!

retro bbq card 1

Using the Retro BBQ set from Unity Stamp Company and my current fave paper line from Basic Grey Lemonade. TFL.
wendy

July 16 Hip Hop

Good morning everyone!! Welcome to Hip Hop for July 16. (I'm in closing arguments today, so wish us luck!! )

This week, I'm playing with the customer designed KOTM, Hodge Podge of Happiness. Oh dearie me, you guys did such an AMAZING job with this kit!! THANK YOU so much for the beautiful images and such a perfect collection.


My first project is SC237 (I love the SCS sketches...)


My second project is SC236 (flipped)


Thanks for stopping by. Your next stop is our wonderful July Guest DT:

Shemaine

Enjoy the rest of your hop. Hip hop!

textile techniques

Fabric just makes me happy. The texture and homespun feel it adds to a layout is really unmatched by any other element. Did you catch Nancy's awesome article in the LM News this week?? Check out the LM DT gallery with samples from the awesome textile products in the LM Store. I was so inspired - I added mine to the mix mixing it with the awesome new KI Memories Party line and the glitter Lace cardstock. I have one more in the works. I love these Donna Downey tags. TFL... wendy

Guest - Little Red Scrapbook

I had the honor of being the July guest design team member for Little Red Scrapbook Company's kit club. (thank you L for the referral... :) ) LRS has the cutest kits and every month I marvel at the gorgeous layouts L makes from them. This month, I had the honor of joining her (though her layouts are still more gorgeous, IMHO). The kit featured BoBunny's Calypso line. Here are my entries. You can see the entire month's gallery here. I was very hard core about staying within the kit's contents - only added buttons and stamps outside. (Stamps are PSX antique alpha, and Unity Stamp Company Time for Travel). TFL. Wendy

KI Memories

Using the new KI Memories lacecardstock, and items from the Party line.

z

with my scraps.... Stamp is from Amy's Art Stamps.

Necessary...

In normal times, scrapping/crafting is something I do every single day. I wake up early to claim some time for myself, to reset my brain for the day to come.

But in recent weeks, I've been "off" that track - stress about work, a big case and trial, and the general "blahs" would see me just pushing everything in my room aside so I could clear some space for the cases and the evidence binders I had to work my way through. In the rare moments I could just vege - i did exactly that - aimlessly roamed through message boards, pounced on etsy, read some blogs. But as to doing anything? Not really. If there was no design deadline, I wasn't doing it. As for my friends, I kind of dropped off the earth for a bit. It was all I could do to balance my family into work.

After two solid months of this - I was pretty stressed out and very much on edge. So when I filed the closing brief in my big case on Friday after a week of little sleep and an almost allnighter Thursday night, I decided I needed to reset. Badly. And that's even before the not so subtle hints coming my way from the guys I work with... "Decompress wendy..." and the regular calls from my husband "how're you doing?" all the time. Yep. We all needed it (And I suspect my opposing counsels did as well). A dear friend was holding a charity crop for Team in Training and the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. I had day plans with my kids (which I also needed desperately) and only had a few hours I could go - but I thought - NO MORE - I have to make the affirmative efforts to bring balance back into my life....

And so, at 5:30, I opened the door to the crop room and was immediately greeted with the familar site of large carts of supplies and the beautiful sound of women bonding and creating. Even before the chorus of "Hi Wendy" filled the room, it felt a little like coming home. And in the next 2 hours (cuz that's pretty much all I had), I did a page, muffed another, and listened and chatted with my friends, and realized to myself - this really is a necessary thing for my sanity... I need to really take the time to make the time to guard my head, and keep my life where it should be - balanced. Not that I will shirk these work duties to do it - that will not change - there is simply too much at stake for my clients. But on those days I come home and I'm "just too tired" - I'll remember yesterday, pick myself up and go for some soul nourishment. Today is a better day...

Here is one of my two - the other one needs some work. I'm a bit rusty. :)

This is the new Basic Grey June Bug in the LM Store, and the American Crafts Platform thickers. For some reason AC named these orange, but they're more of a goldenrod yellow?

TFL. wendy

July 9 Hip Hop

First! YIPPEE!! Good morning everyone!! Welcome to Hip Hop for July 9.

This week, I'm still playing with the fabulous July KOTM, a pocket full of..., since I love it so.

I felt like scrapping, and thought this fancy pants paper was perfect for the kit...

Sigh. my kids. make me so happy.





Thanks for stopping by. Your next stop is

Lisa

Enjoy the rest of your hop. Hip hop!

universal knit skull cap pattern

Having made a few of these caps at this point, I've realized that many of the patterns follow a similar basic form. Since I've been using different yarns from my stash (using only nonwools and very soft ones b/c these are chemo caps), I've adapted to the diff. gauges of the yarns, and thought I'd share.

Choose the recommended needle size for your yarn - you need a circular needle and a set of double pointed needles in the same size.

Cast on the circular needles enough stitches to fit the circumference of the head you are making the hat for (note there will be some give in your band and so, stretch your cast on line a little as you measure for the circumference (esp if you cast on like I do with very tight very close together stitches).

knit back and forth on your circular needle (unjoined) with a basic stitch for the brim. This can be a rib (K2P2) or a garter (just knit back and forth) or a moss stitch (K1P1) or anything you want. You have a long thin rectangle going at this point.

When your brim reaches approximately 2", join your knitting and continue knitting in the round until your knitted piece reaches 6" from your cast on row (or 7" or 8" if you're working with bigger heads). (NOTE: most patterns say put a sitch marker to mark the beginning of the row here, moving the marker up each time you start a new row. But I realized I always joined 2" above where I initially cast on - where there was always an unwoven in tail , I had a natural built in marker so I don't add another. But if it helps you, by all means, add the marker before you join). I normally use stockinette stitch here, but again, anything would work... Just keep it in a pattern that would stretch a bit. (a rib works well too). Since you're knitting in the round at this point, stockinette is just straight knit stitches and it is a very nice "I don't have to think too much about it" knitting.

Once you get to the 6" (or 7" or 8"...) transfer your project to double pointed needles, evenly distributed among the needles. Now you start to decrease (and form the top of the hat). Knitting in the round:

[K8, K2Tog]. repeat til end.
[K7, K2Tog] repeat til end
[K6, K2Tog] repeat til end
[K5, K2Tog] repeat til end
[K4, K2Tog] repeat til end
[K3, K2Tog] repeat til end
[K2, K2Tog] repeat til end
[K1, K2Tog] repeat til end
K2Tog, repeat til end

Now, cut the yarn from the skein, giving yourself about a 8" tail. Thread a needle through the end, and then run that needle through all the remaining stitches on your needles, pulling tight.

You're done. Join the loose ends of your brim, add a flower, a button, etc. Weave in all yarn tails.

Here are three more that I just finished for a very special little girl. That's five total, as a girl cannot have too many choices, eh? The pinks are cotton; the white is microspun with yellow crochet thread accent for a butter yellow hat. TFL. Wendy

Happy Fourth of July!!

Its Independence Day!!! What are your plans for today? I love traditions, and Fourth of July is one where we watch Will Smith's "Independence Day" (one of my favorite movies of all time!!), then head to my uncle's for a BBQ - from there - we go as an extended family for fireworks at the local high school. Its a lovely time, with a nice rock band, lots of yummy food, and such love for all fellow Americans as we gather to celebrate ourselves as a country. Its been a historic year - with the election (and changes that inevitably come when our country, as it always does, shift power base every few grouping of years), and the economy, and the war front. Everyday, I am so very grateful for my country and that I have the privilege of being an American. And today, I am very much looking forward to celebrating her and all my fellow countrymen. Happy birthday America!! Go USA!! :)

(stamps are Unity in America from Unity Stamp Co, an exclusive kit available only at memory making crafts)

Sketch LMCS36

LMSketch 35

Stampiecing Your Scraps

No time or patience for coloring? No problem!! With open imaged stamps, you can easily stamp on scraps and "stamp" piece (i.e.paperpiece) them.  Be sure to pick scraps with subtle prints so as not to lose your stamp lines.

From there, cut your images out and assemble your card just like always.
(I'm using stamps from the July 09 Kit of the Month from Unity Stamp Company - Pocket full of )
TFL! wendy

July 2 Hip Hop

Good morning everyone!! Welcome to Hip Hop for July 2. Happy Independence Day!! I'm gearing up for my annual tradition - I watch the "Independence Day" movie, then head over to my uncles for a family BBQ then to fireworks. One of my favorite days of the year....

This week, we're featuring the July KOTM, a pocket full of.... Isn't it the cutest? I always think everytime I get a kit that "this is my favorite so far" - which typically lasts until the next kit comes. ROFL...



I was totally inspired this week by the color palette greens, violets and plums that I've been seeing in the stores lately.

1) I miss you



Colors used:
Prismacolor: Raspberry, Tuscan Red, Warm Grey 10%, Mulberry, French Grey 10%



2) Let's Patch Things Up


Colors used:
Prismacolor: Blue Violet, Dark Green, Violet, Limepeel, Imperial Violet

Someone asked me what makes me choose between the copics and the pencils. To me, both medium yield very different results. The copics are a cleaner smoother look; the pencils are a bit more homespun. I like my copics for animal and people images, and also for images with larger coloring surfaces. Because I have the sketch markers with the brush tip, I am not yet as skilled as I want to be at controlling the brush tips with smaller tight coloring images - so with the smaller stamps, I will often defer to the pencils - at least until I sharpen my skills with the copics some more. :)

Thanks for stopping by. Your next stop is

Renee

Enjoy the rest of your hop. Hip hop!