Buttons, Brads and a Birthday Bear!

Here is my take on this week's Mojo Monday sketch. I have to say that this Cosmos Cricket paper had me going for a bit with regard to coming up with coordinating solid cardstock. Put together, however, the papers I chose appear to work. What's unfortunate is the fact the flash on my camera washed out my bear. He/she is better looking in person.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White, Juniper, and Ponderosa Pine cardstock; Cosmos Cricket Early Bird patterned paper; Black, Ponderosa Pine, and Bamboo ink pads; Olive marker; The Cat's Pajamas Happy Camper and CTMH Say it in Style stamp sets; Buttons from my stash; Just Blooms Summer Posies; Bitty Brads; Juniper mini brads; Jute; Prismacolor colored pencils; Gamsol odorless mineral spirits; Blending stumps; Stampin' Up Photo Corner punch; Cuttlebug w/Nestabilities Classic Circles set; Sponge dauber; 3M foam mounting tape.

Another day. Another dollar... or two. LOL. Marv is waiting patiently to take me out to dinner. Evidently, he doesn't feel like cooking. I suppose I should go with him. Nothing exciting to report anyway. Hope your day was a good one. Thank you for all of your comments about my hibiscus card. Anne pegged it when she wrote, "Sometimes less IS more." I've discovered that statement sometimes applies to more than just cardmaking. Take care. Later...

Happy Camper Revisited

Like I said, I made several cards yesterday before I got caught up in making the birdhouse. Thank you for the nice comments. It's fun to get out of the card zone once in a while and do something different.

The card that I'm posting tonight was made with the Happy Camper set. Cute owl, huh? As for the card sketch, what was in my head when I started was quite different from what you see. Nevertheless, it turned out OK. Lucky for you, too, I don't think it requires much explaining. The little circle elements in the top corners were an afterthought, the result of a 1/2-inch circle punch and scrap of patterned paper laying within inches of one another on my desktop. Oh, and most likely too pale to see in the photo, I sponged a little Heavenly Blue ink around my stamped image.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy, Indian Corn Blue, Cocoa, and Sunflower cardstock; Magic Moments paper packet; Black, Cocoa, Olive, and Heavenly Blue ink pads; The Cat's Pajamas Happy Camper and Impression Obsession Sentiments II stamp sets; Hollyhock and Chocolate mini brads; Prismacolor colored pencils; Gamsol odorless mineral spirits; Blending stumps; Cuttlebug w/Nestabilities Classic Ovals set; Stampin' Up Word Window punch; Piercing tool; 1/2-inch circle punch; 3M foam mounting tape.

How was your day? Mine was great with the exception of an out-of-the-blue panic attack that lasted for about two hours. Such a nuisance... and always a little scary even though I knew exactly what was going on. Despite that rude interruption, my day was very productive, and everyone I dealt with was agreeable, which was appreciated.

Bjorn and Mathias are staying with us tonight and are currently playing George of the Jungle on Wii with Grandpa. It's also Miranda's birthday today. Dustin took her to Grand Forks for supper tonight, and because she's going on a horseback-riding trip to western North Dakota in a couple of days, we're going to have a family celebration early next week - a dual celebration, as Dusty's birthday is on the 17th.

Now, I'm going to go check on the boys and see if I can interest one or both in a few books before they have to go to bed. Tired, I'm not going to be too far behind them tonight. I hope your week got off to a great start. I'll catch you again tomorrow night. Until then, take care!

Skunked ...

You know how I mentioned the other evening how with the Happy Camper set I'd acquired my first skunk stamp? Well, I no more than finished my post when Marv asked, "What's that smell?" Sure enough. The odor wafting in the breeze through our open windows was the smell of skunk! Cute as the stamp is, the smell of a real skunk is most unpleasant, and thus, we quickly closed the windows and suffered in stuffiness for a couple of hours until the odor dissipated. What a coincidence!

Now, about my card, to get the skunk to sit on the log, I had to mask him, and in the process, discovered a new masking material. While reaching for the Post-It note that I usually use for masking, a package of Avery 4x3-inch removable labels fell off the shelf. Having purchased them in error (I needed permanent labels), they'd been sitting on the shelf for a long time. As I reached to put them back, it dawned on me that they might work for masking, too. I stamped my image, cut it out and found that not only did my new mask work well, it is one that can be used again. When I was done, I just stuck it to the back of the stamp set's carrier sheet where it will stay stuck until the next time I need it. Cool!

I colored my image with Prismacolor pencils and odorless mineral spirits. If you're thinking that cutting around the skunk's tail was clever, I have to tell you doing so was the result of a happy accident. When I went to mat my stamped image, I found the image was too wide to look good on my card base. Thus, I used my paper trimmer to carefully cut down to the top of the tail and up to its bottom and then trimmed around the part of the tail that would extend off the side with my scissors. Make sense? Embellishments include a little paper flower held in place by a white Bitty Brad and a punched button that I sewed to the card with crochet cotton.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy, Indian Corn Blue, Sunflower, and Sweet Leaf cardstock; Magic Moments paper packet; Black ink pad; The Cat's Pajamas Happy Camper stamp set; Just Blooms Summer Posies Collection; White Bitty Brad; Martha Stewart Embossed Button punch; White crochet cotton; Needle; Black My Legacy Writer.

I have more energy today, although yes, Jeanne, I think you might be right about our crazy weather affecting the way I feel ... both physically and mentally. Overcast skies day after day are a real downer, and it's cool and damp, which seems to bring on a variety of aches and pains. Regardless of the weather, Marv went to the golf course, and so, for now, I've got the house to myself ... meaning I should get busy! Cleaning is so much easier and much less annoying when he's not here. Dusting around the big lout stretched out in his recliner and having to duck as not to get in the way of the television screen bugs the heck out of me. Ah, marital bliss. LOL. Ya know I love 'im anyway! I'll have at least one more card to show you later, so if you're in the neighborhood, stop back. In the interim, take care and enjoy the day!

Da Bear ... Again!

Good evening, and Happy Friday! Even though, as Mathias would say, "It's not my favorite," I'm going to show you this card anyway in the event I don't get anything else stamped tonight. This is the bear again from the Happy Camper set.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White, Sunflower, and Ponderosa Pine cardstock; Cosmo Cricket Early Bird patterned paper; Black ink pad; Holiday Red and Garden Green markers; The Cat's Pajamas Happy Camper and Papertrey Ink Mixed Messages stamp sets; Natural twill ribbon; Prismacolor colored pencils; Gamsol odorless mineral spirits; Blending stumps; Cuttlebug w/Nestabilities Classic Circles set.

Yes, I'm happy again today. Work was fine. I caught up on a bunch of stuff and avoided anyone I thought might be unpleasant. I also had my time for the week in before 3, so I was out of there pronto, so Miranda and I could go check out the wedding reception facility and go to the flower shop. As soon as I got home I was on the Internet checking out places that rent chair covers and table linens. I also spotted some lighted glass blocks in the flower shop that I thought would make beautiful table decorations. Miranda loved them, so I did a little hunting around for supplies to make them, too. Ribbon for pew bows and fabric for chair sashes, too. We discussed invitations, gift registry, setting up a wedding website, engagement photos, etc., etc., as well. And thus, by the time I got home my little brain was/is on overload. It's time to make a list!

I can make my list this weekend, cuz heaven knows I won't be hankering to go outside. It's currently 48 degrees. Tonight it is supposed to get down to 36. The thermometer isn't supposed to hit 70 again before next Friday. This is unbelievable, and so help me if I see a snowflake in June, I'm going to pack up and move. Not that I'm complaining or anything. LOL.

Right now, I think I'm going to go put my feet up, rest, and see if I can get my head to stop spinning. If you read all this garble, thanks for hearing me out. I hope your weekend is wonderful. If you're in a warm place, enjoy! If you're in a cold place like me, put a sweatshirt on. Thanks for stopping by, and I'll talk to you again on Simple Saturday!

Stamp Stalker ...

It's not often I buy a set of stamps the day they are released. Usually, I think about it, and a lot of times I think myself right out of whatever it is that caught my eye. That was not the case, however, with the Happy Camper set by The Cat's Pajamas. A few sneak peeks, and I was "sold" on this set before its release date. Is this not one of the cutest bears you've ever seen? The other animals in the set are equally as cute, and with this set, I own my very first skunk stamp. With regard to my impulse purchase, I don't think I'll be sorry about this one.

This first card was a quick one. I used Prismacolor pencils and odorless mineral spirits to color the bear and the fire. You can't see the Liquid Applique on the marshmallow. It's pretty cute if I say so myself. The patterned paper is from Cosmo Cricket's new Early Bird collection.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White and Ponderosa Pine cardstock; Cosmo Cricket Early Bird patterned paper; Black, Ponderosa Pine, and Olive ink pads; The Cat's Pajamas Happy Camper stamp set; Natural twill ribbon; Prismacolor colored pencils; Gamsol odorless mineral spirits; Blending stumps; White Liquid Applique.

Bjorn and Mathias are staying with us tonight - the very best part of an otherwise not-so-great day. While I'm thinking tonight a four-day workweek this week would have been great for my mental health, I'm also thinking that a good night's sleep will fortify me for one more day. Why people have to be so difficult I will never understand. Perhaps, I could write a book about my lousy corporate experience. I'll aptly title it Fish Out of Water. To sell it, though, I'll have to fictionalize it with a few scandalous romances and some intrigue. At least I can still crack a joke. I hate to think of how crazy I'd be if I didn't have a sense of humor.

How was your day? I hope it was good. Any interesting weekend plans? Before I close, I have to take the time to thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. Your comments are very sweet and encouraging. I understand the time it takes and truly appreciate it. That said, I'm off to bed. Until tomorrow, take care!