Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #88

Isn't he a handsome little fella, I just went all warm and squishy inside when I found him. I picked up this marvelous book at a thrift store for the unbelievable sum of $1.99 titled... ummm ... dagnabit!! I am in Portland at my daughter's house and the book is in Marcola in my craft room. When I get home I will contact anybody who wants to know with the name.

Back to where I was going. This book is a marvelous collection of photos taken by a local artist. When everyone else was taking very stern almost sad looking portrait photographs, his are more candid and relaxed. The photos are so amazing and such a slice of life. I picked it up to use the photos as I have done here but have only managed to remove a few from the book. It is just such a pleasure to look through it that I find myself thumbing through the pages and saying hi to my old friends.

I am entering this card in Priscillastyles sketch challenge #88. I used Hero Arts Butterfly Flowers to stamp a border along one side of this patterned paper. I then colored in the flowers with a water brush and distress ink in Victorian Velvet. I figured a Victorian photograph deserved a Victorian color...
I also used the stamp plus a few others on cream cardstock. After warming them up with vintage photo (again appropriate), I used the same water brush technique to add a touch of blush.
The butterflies are punched from scraps with a Martha Stewart punch and then glimmer misted. To give them a hint of a body, I used the water brush and distress ink down their backs. I think it helped define them a bit.

I taught a great class last night. Great because it was jam packed with a marvelous group of talented women. Just being around them made me feel alive and inventive. This morning I felt alive, stoved up and a bit grumpy... but that is quickly wearing off as the sun is shining brightly and I have another class tonight! I will post pics and a little more info if I remember. Last night the camera set on my table behind me all night... sighing, waiting to be noticed... coughing a bit now and then... clearing it's throat...ahem.. ahem.. alas... nothing. If I forget it again tonight, I am afraid it will divorce me. Some cameras just take it so personal. Geeze.

anyhoo.... This week party, next week doctors...ugh.

as always, ENJOY! the oz

Midnight Madness after midnight....

Yes I was up way past my bedtime for this one but I am an adult now and should be able to pick and choose my bedtimes...right? Ok so not so right if I wanna get anything done the next day but the cut out idea slammed into my head right after my head hit the pillow. If you are anything like me, you might as well get up 'cause ya ain't gonna get any sleep now anyhoo!!!

The Midnight Madness Challenge over at Priscillastyles, is a weekly sketch challenge. This week the sketch look something like this. Not exactly like this but then you know me... not one for following the rules to closely. Priscilla gives you a choice of 2 sketches. Basically the same layout just one is fancy frilly and one is scaled down or "Clean and Simple". My card falls pretty much right smack in the middle... go figure.

I started out with the cut out idea alarm going off inside my head. Once I had managed to do that with an exacto and ruler, things started to fall into place. The pattern paper is an oldie but goody from the Current store days. I loved the bargains I got when they closed down but I kinda miss em. The kraft heart had to be stamped twice, my sister still has not returned my white ink pad and the cream just didn't show up as nice. I flipped it over and stamped it with Antique Linen distress ink. After I adhered it to the card, I remembered the cut out part. Truthfully, having the cream poka dots show through looks nice, so neener neener neener....

So this is officially my 3am entry for the MMSC #87.... now I can sleep. I hope.

As always, ENJOY! the Oz

Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge

I have a friend on the The (scrap)Beach who is all giddy about this Priscillastyles challenge site and her newly appointed design team status... can ya blame her? Congratulations Dawn, well deserved for sure. I told her I would try and play along with a couple of the challenges and here is my first entry.

My entry started with a plain white piece of card stock and their sketch. I just love to start that way, my mind starts spinning and smoke comes out my ears..it can be rather exciting! After cutting out a tag shape, I slapped some distress ink on my craft sheet and spritzed it with a little water. After cleaning up that mess with the tag, I set it aside to dry.

Ok, little less smoke now but still wheels are turning.... I grabbed up my cling vintage notebook and plopped it down on my workspace. It opened up to the page with the hot air balloons on it so I am certainly not one to fight fate. I don't believe in expending the kind of energy it would take for that battle. So I just grabbed up some ink and stamped away on the left over card stock. After playing around for awhile I just trimmed away everything I wasn't thrilled with and the rest is what we call background.

Warmed up the edges of everything I could get my hands on (including the cat) with walnut stain distress ink and started layering things up. I truly wish all cards were this easy.
The chain is a EK Success punch, sentiment is a $ stamp I liked and kept around and the flower is a left over from an album I am working on. This card just really wanted to be and who am I to tell it no.

So Midnight Madness people, I hope you enjoy this interpretation of your sketch #86 because it was completely out of my hands .....

as always, ENJOY! the Oz

keep on hopping!!

Sorry no pic to post today but the Hero Arts blog hop is still going strong and I happen to know that today is gonna be the best projects ever!!! Hop on over to Hero Arts blog to start and prepare to be amazed!

I am at the hospital today having a battery of tests run. I am most likely being poked and prodded as we speak! Unpleasant thought that is! Please cross your fingers and toes for me. If they find gold, I will split it with you.

as always, ENJOY! the Oz

Happy Hopping Thursday My Friends ! ! !

Welcome fans of Hero Arts! Having the honor of starting off Day 4 of this 5 day "Hop of Celebration" is so exciting to me. I have been looking forward to this since I first read the invitation in my email box. I saw Hero Arts and Tami and just knew it had to be good!

So far we have seen some amazing works of art. I have faith that this trend will continue!

Hero Arts is such a customer supportive company that they attract and nurture talented people. Over the last couple of years I have had the opportunity to watch and enjoy the process of learning and perfecting your crafting skills. I personally thank Hero Arts for letting me be a tiny part of that.


The blog hop starts here today with this card that I made using the most beautiful Bird Collage stamp #K5503. Hero Arts has so many wonderful collage style stamps in their catalog, but this one I am sure will be come a classic. The beautiful flowers and strong bird image are only enhanced by the vintage writing and graphic designed gracing the background. I have always been a fan of the etching style of illustration and this bird is no exception. I am glad it is now in my collection of stamps and I can assure you it will taste ink many times over it's lifetime.

I simply stamped the image 3 times and fussy cut out the bird, large flower and both leaf stems. On the "intact" image, I colored everything I was going to layer with grey and brown to enhance the shadow effect. I added a little extra shading on the branch and birds tail also. Then with just the lightest pencil coloring to the cut out pieces, I glued the parts back in place. The only item I used pop dots on was the large flower and that is just one very small piece in the very center. I am very pleased with the final look and I can only hope you are also.

Please remember to leave a comment or two in your travels as it means so much to those you visit and there are prizes to be won! Also if you happen along a broken link, please go back to the Hero Arts blog for the master list of sites to be visited. Then take a moment to contact Tami through her email tami@heroarts.com so we can get that fixed post haste!

This blog hop is in honor of our friend Mike who is battling cancer. The world is simply brighter with Mike in it and ours words can not express our appreciation to Mike as a business partner and friend. The Hero Hostesses will be sending Mike and his family some of the cards shown during this weeks blog hop.

Now it is time to hop on to Donna's wonderful blog and be dazzled and amazed....

Now be off with you and ENJOY your day!!! the Oz

a touch of shimmer....

It is amazing what just a touch of glimmer, shimmer, shine will do for a person. Run your car through the car wash and see if it doesn't run just a tiny bit better. I know I could use a good buff and wax myself. Would cheer me right up!
The card is mostly muted soft blended tones but then there is just that touch of glimmer. A tiniest refraction of light... just a wink.... just a hint.

The Hero Arts Blog Hop is continuing through the end of the week and as impossible as it seems, it just keeps getting better and better. Tracey, V, Arlene and Sue are in line to amaze you with much more than just a hint of glimmer....

Start out at the Hero Arts Blog and enjoy your trip down Talent Lane.

as always, ENJOY! the Oz

Hop on hopsters....

Oh my yesterday was so exciting! I am still beaming with the great job my hostess sisters did and there is more today !!!

I used the Hero Arts Find Joy clear set on this card. This set has some really interesting sentiments as well as the tried and true Happy Birthday and Thank you. I honestly think you could cover every occasion with this one set.

The gear under the paper rose is from a Sizzix die and the flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts. I used a little glimmer mist to doctor up the gear, flowers and even the background. Thanks to my friend Kathryn over on the (scrap)beach, I now own several bottles of glimmer mist.

I want to thank everyone for all the comments left here yesterday... I was so thrilled to see everyone!! And Rosemary, I did fall off a bicycle just this last summer... lol

get out there and blog hop and I will see ya all tomorrow... as always, ENJOY! Oz

I love Hero Arts

Hero Arts is hosting a 4 day blog hop this week and I am going to help!... You will need to check out the Hero Arts blog for all the details, but I can tell you there will be prizes, inspiration and more!!

Although it starts on Monday morning with 5 fabulous past Hero Hostess', my day will be Thursday. I managed to make more than one entry, so I hope to post something everyday. There is an entire weeks worth of unbelievable talent to enjoy, so be sure to hop on over to Hero Arts!

Here is my first project using the brand spanking new 2011 stamps! To create this gift bag I stamped the bottom section and tag with H5489 Butterfly Flowers. This is such a graceful flower design. Wanting to pick up the lighter color in the stripe paper, I colored in the flower design with a white colored pencil. It is very subtle, but made a remarkable difference in the overall design.

I hope you enjoyed my project and will come back Tuesday for look at another great stamp from Hero Arts.

as always... ENJOY! Oz

p.s. I am so out of practice..lol I hope by Thursday I can get my act together...cross your fingers for me.