“Where the Wild Things Are”

Monster Bookmarks for Trick or Treaters

My challenge for the week. I have just recently discovered that there are many "challenges" available throughout the internet crafting world and have begun participating in some. This week, however, I created my own challenge. The challenge was to make an item for our trick or treaters. These bookmarks are the result of that challenge. They are created from an original pen and ink drawing that my son, Dain, made into a rubber stamp. I think this is a good exchange for chocolate, don't you? I'll keep the chocolate for myself and the trick or treaters can go home and read "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak (one of my all time favorites), and use the monster bookmark to keep their places. Dain will also be selling these at a local Art Festival and Animal Adoption and Wellness Fair that is being held locally this week-end in support of Animal rescue and Welfare organizations. If you live in the Phoenix area, and are interested in this event, go here.

Apple Harvest

Apples

Ahh, I see that I scanned this one a little crooked but you get the idea. There was no stamping involved in making this card but it is an enjoyable project that can be accomplished while relaxing in front of the TV. It was created from a wallpaper border I found at the Dollar Tree. The border was cut to fit on a red card blank. I then cut the basket and several apples from a duplicate image to add on top of the original image with dimensional tape. Too bad that it doesn't show the dimension here. Quickand Easy and not a rotten apple among them.

Sweet Dreams

Another fabulous House Mouse challenge -- I couldn't resist. I rushed home from a trip to see what I could conjur. The "Grape Dreams" Santa Rosa house mouse stamp was ready made for this challenge. This is the second card I made because I wasn't satisfied with the first. I hope you enjoy it. I have tons of paper (well, who doesn't?) and I never use it -- so I added to this challenge that I must use some patterned paper. I also did something else differently in the designing process. I usually build from the card blank up -- this time, I created the design from the top down. I think I've finally got it!

Tip Toe

Another House Mouse challenge based on a Halloween theme or colors. This challenge was a test for me without having any House Mouse Halloween stamps. But here you see that House Mouse antics abound in the pumpkin patch. My friend, Sizzix, die cut all the pumpkins – but, after putting in the shading with watercolor pencils, it was a layering "nightmare". The background on this 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" card was created with a PSX tree stamp and a sponged grey/blue sky compliments of Brilliance Lightning Black and some blue hues from a Big and Juicy pad. Other credits: HM (Santa Rosa), and Family Treasure punch for the bats. I'm a little batty myself after putting this romp together, but batty is fun! Oh, yes, the words are by me.

Count Your Many Blessings

Count Your Many Blessings

. . . name them one by one. I've never followed a "recipe" or card sketch for a card before so this was a new experience. I had several more layers ready to adhere to this card and after my son's critique, I simplified it. He likes it better and so do I. Sizzix did a nice job of cutting the oak leaves and the maple leaf. Cuttlebug embossed the maple leaf used as an under piece to the two oak leaves. The oak leaves are stamped with lot of little words (PSX), a little heart (Hampton Arts), and my very first stamp – a fern stamp (maker unknown but known how I got it) my DH purchased the fern stamp for me at the State Fair many years ago (oh, little did he know what he was doing….). The phrase "Count Your Many Blessings" is from Stampendous. The bottom Oak Leaf is attached but I left the top leaf to move freely for interaction. It is only connected to the card with the raffia tie at the stem. The dark green layer under the maple leaf was stamped with a leaf design (Toomuchfun). Talk about too much fun – at the time of this stamp's making, the company was based in East Lansing, Michigan – my home state. Where did I buy this stamp? Michigan? – Nahh, that would have been too easy. I found it at an art store in San Francisco during one of my working trips there. Are we having too much fun? Not yet…..and I've got lots and lots of blessings to count.

Skylar Flying High

Happy Harvest

Have I mentioned that I love Sizzix? This card has a Sizzix jelly frame embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder and then tapped with Memories sepia ink. Kinda looks like imitation dyed leather huh? This is a left folded card blank that was stamped with the bare tree (PSX ) before applying with foam mounts, an assembled Skylar (theneonrainbow), -- Skylar's eyes are covered with Crystal Lacquer -- stamped tag "Happy Harvest" (Embossing Arts) tied to frame with raffia strands– and Maple Leaf (Marvy) and Oak Leaf (Family Treasurers). Ahh, I miss PSX and Embossing Arts – thank goodness there are still a "few" stamp makers out there! LOL

Music Makes My Heart Sing

And so it seems music makes our little house mousies sing (and dance too). I accepted the challenge to use a House Mouse stamp to create a tag. I am new at this, but I'll try to put the link here. Since I love to stamp, it wasn't hard to take on such a challenge with my drawer full of House Mouse characters. The result you see here was not even close to the first notion I had in my head. I decided to make a large tag – and one that is actually a folded card that will fit inside a biz size envy. I was going to do something with chocolate and worked awhile making a lovely title plate for the word "Sweet" and then I stamped down that first image "Tickling the Ivories" with Amanda, Maxwell, Mudpie, and Monica which I intended to be solely for background support. But that is when a totally new idea evolved! The word "Sweet" was cast aside and I started building on the music theme. I folded up the bottom corner to reveal a flower print paper liner I had glued down and affixed the happy mouse peeking through from the inside. On the folded up tab, I stamped a bunch of words by Fiskars (one stamp) and edged the fold with pink ink. The flower liner dictated that I bring some of those flowers to the outside which was achieved with a Sizzix charm die, a small punch for the centers of the lavender flowers and mini brads to assemble and affix to the card. I had only half the card covered and a lot of white space yet to go and I was out of ideas. I went looking for ribbon – I had no idea that I had the "Music Makes My Heart Sing" ribbon! What a delightful find! Now the rest was easy stamping the word "Music" (source unknown); another mouse – singing? Goodness – there is still white space – stamped the treble clef and note from Rubber Stampede with Memories Sepia, and tapped in a few little hearts from Hampton Art with Memories crimson and colored with water color pencil. Well, folks I think that's it. I am still "Sweet" on House Mouse so there will surely be a time to use that theme. I'm still thinking chocolate!

"Professional"

"That looks like a professional card." So says my son, the art critic. And, I guess he is earning that title as he is finishing up his masters in drawing and painting while teaching art core classes at Arizona State University. And this came after he had come home after completing 18 art critques with his students. The card he refers to is to the right and almost doesn't qualify as a stamping project with only the Friendship stamp from Wordsworth being used with a Memories Sepia Pad. I made the medallion while I was traveling for my job, sitting in my hotel room after work. It is a sectional piece - cut pie shapes from thin foam sheets and cover with pretty papers and assemble by gluing all on cardstock. The centerpiece is a button (from DollarTree). The layer is a textured piece of lightweight cardstock and because of the texture, the impression from the stamp was softened (which I actually think is very effective here). The panel was cut along the edges with a Fiskars paper edger and affixed to an 8 1/2 x 11 white card stock piece folded in half. This card, since is is deemed "professional" is destined for my friend who just completed her Masters degree in Christian Counseling at the age of 67. Professional card -- for a professional -- right? Much congratulations to my dear friend, Donna!