Father's Day Card

I made a Father's Day card for Austin to give Brad. I didn't really have a thought process here but I found a card on Pinterest that gave me some inspiration. Check out the inspiration card here on My Wise Designs.

I had some circle embellishments that are meant for stamping or coloring on from EK Success and matched them up with a 3x4" circle punch from Stampin' Up! to make this one.
 

It's a little girly but Brad isn't the type to mind things like that.

The "I Love You" was made with Snap! stickers from Simple Stories.

Supplies Used:

Fiskars paper trimmer (my new one, and I LOVE this thing)
Martha Stewart mini score board
Tombow Adhesive
Circles from EK Success
3/4" Circle Punch - Stampin' Up!
Stampin' Up! Real Red ink
Hampton Art/Studio G letter stamps
Snap! letter stickers
Stampin' Up! Pool Party card stock
My Mind's Eye My Girl paper stack

Project Life 2013: Week 22

Welcome to Project Life 2013, week 22. This week I used my traditional beach layout that I showed you a couple of weeks ago to guide me for the rest of the spread.

This is the spread with inserts.

And a closer look at the left side:

This page was all about the beach trip. I added in our parking ticket and used a card from the Clementine Edition (which is still my very favorite go-to kit out of all of the ones released). I added some text to the "Best Day Ever" card from the Blush edition to note that it was, indeed, not the best day ever but the best day of that month. :) I have a real hard time with "Best Day Ever" cards and embellishments because I keep thinking, well, it's not really the best day ever but it sure was a great day. I know, I overthink things sometimes.

Right side:

I added a smaller insert with four 4x6 photos. This is actually a Design C that I cut down to just the two bottom left pockets. I put the insert in on the bottom two rings so that it would line up with the top photo on the right side, so all beach photos would be in a column. Here's what the back of that insert looks like along with the full right page of my spread:

The "Good Times" card came in a Studio Calico kit. The quote card is from the Blush edition. The Sweet Stuff sticker is from My Mind's Eye. These come in a pack of 8 sheets, 8 different colors.

Here's a look at the two page spread without the inserts:

That's it for week 22.

Project Life is an amazing and simple scrapbooking system designed by Becky Higgins. For more information, please check out Becky's website. If you're new to the blog and you'd like to scroll back through my past few years doing Project Life, you can find all of my Project Life related posts here.

Superstar Card

I hated this card when I was finished but several sweet Instagram followers told me they liked it, so I am posting it anyway.

I found a retired Stampin' Up! star stamp set recently and wanted to make a card with it. Unfortunately this just didn't turn out like I'd pictured, and I can't place my finger on why. It might be the color combination.

I used a glitter pen over the "superstar" stamp and some of the stars. I also cut one of the stars out (that was Brad's suggestion) for some dimension.

Supplies Used:

X-Acto Paper Trimmer
Martha Stewart Scoreboard
Scissors (to cut out star)
Tombow adhesive runner
Foam squares
Stampin' Up! More Mustard card stock and ink
Stampin' Up! Island Indigo ink
Memento Lulu Lavender ink
Stampin' Up! Seeing Stars stamp set
You're A Superstar stamp (Michaels $1.50 bin)
Gelly Roll pen

The Sky's The Limit Card

Remember last week I posted about a mini workshop on Two Peas In a Bucket called Tool School? I finished up the videos and am absolutely incredibly satisfied with this class. I still actually need to read through the PDFs but I have to tell you, Jennifer Gallacher is awesome on video! It is so fun to watch her using different punches, dies, and tools in new ways I hadn't thought of, and I love that she does a full layout in each video.

In her video she does something with these Fiskars cloud punches (that's the mid-sized one, here's the smaller one and the largest one) that I happen to have picked up very cheap at CKC Manchester. She punched the clouds out of vellum! That was a "duh" moment for me. Of COURSE vellum makes perfect clouds. So I just had to try that on a card.

The vellum paper I used has some pattern to it, almost like a tissue paper. I punched several clouds out, and I used my Xyron 5" to add adhesive (the Xyron adhesive is perfect as it doesn't show through). I used a Gelly Roll white gel pen to add stitching around them. Perfect!

The kite stamp set I used is kites2fly from The Stamps of Life. I just stamped the outline of the kite, then stamped the panels in different colors, and I attached two of the panels with foam squares for some dimension.

I love this card so much! It's so cheerful and fun.

Supplies Used:

X-Acto Paper Trimmer
Martha Stewart Scoreboard
Scissors (to cut out kite, bows)
Tombow adhesive runner
Foam squares
Fiskars cloud punches - medium, large, x-large
Stampin' Up! Calypso Coral card stock
Xyron 5"
Gelly Roll White pen
Stampin' Up! Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Certainly Celery inkpads
Stampin' Up! Basic Black marker
Memento Tuxedo Black, Lulu Lavender
Vellum
The Stamps of Life kites2fly
Tim & Beck for Studio Calico paper (polka dots)

Random PL stuff

Ok. If you don't follow Becky, new products are on Amazon today. And she's running a bunch of sales.

30% off older core kits if you purchase a new core kit. 20% off Olive Edition accessories (binder, dividers, paper).

I did pick up the Jade Edition today (because I really dig the camera cards and the colors), and I am pretty sure that's it for awhile. I'm stocked up on Project Life, especially after I grabbed Honey at Hobby Lobby this past weekend (which is JUST so pretty!)

I've also canceled my Studio Calico subscription. I waited the required 6 months to cancel without getting hit with a $15 fee. The kits I feel have been disappointing the past few months and I don't think they're worth the $20 a month cost. I really didn't like many of the cards in June, and there were no embellishments (beyond some transparent overlays that I won't use and cork alphas). I have also been reading a LOT on some other forums about their customer service and don't feel I want to put my money towards this company when I don't agree with their business practices. So, I'm out. I'll use up the SC products I have and moving forward, will just purchase embellishments or cards here and there.

There are other monthly kit clubs for those of you who might want to join one. Cocoa Daisy, Scraptastic, Elle's Studio, and Kelly Purkey are a few. I also like the idea of the Best of Both Worlds kits by Shimelle, because you don't need to subscribe and can add the products you like to your cart without having to buy the entire thing. For now I have so much stuff and really want to make a few of my own cards and embellishments that I'm going to wait awhile to order anything new for PL. (Beyond necessities like binders and page protectors).

Project Life 2013: Week 21

Welcome to Project Life 2013, week 21. This one came together quickly with the help of the Project Life Blush Edition. (Which is just so bright and cheerful, I love it!).

Here's my full spread:

There were a lot of random photos this week. Flowers, some pics of Austin that I liked but really don't have a story behind them. And I did a small Day In The Life spread too.

Left side:

On this page I used one of my Love brushes on the top photo of Austin. I forget to use my own products much of the time so I'm happy I remembered that I had this set as it was a perfect touch to that photo.

I added a Heidi Swapp arrow inked with Stampin' Up!'s Island Indigo to this Blush card, to draw attention to the dandelion photo in the next pocket. I just used my Tiny Attacher to attach it.

Right side:

On this page I made half of it for my Day In The Life. I decided on Friday that I wanted to do this project but using photos of my feet in the various locations I was at during the day. I love how it turned out. Something a little different. I used an American Crafts slick writer to add numbers directly on the photos, and then wrote a little caption for each one onto one of the journaling cards.

I also added movie stubs from a double matinee we saw on Sunday, and a great "currently" card from the Blush edition. I love that card and I want to include it in future layouts every so often to see how my tastes change.

Project Life is an amazing and simple scrapbooking system designed by Becky Higgins. For more information, please check out Becky's website. If you're new to the blog and you'd like to scroll back through my past few years doing Project Life, you can find all of my Project Life related posts here.

Tool School

I just signed up for a workshop on Two Peas that I'm excited about diving into. It's called Tool School and it's run by Jennifer Gallacher. It's supposed to teach you tons of different ideas for using your crafting tools. I had been waiting for some reviews to come out and people are loving this class. I also read that she has tips for using a paper crimper, which I have and haven't used yet, so I'm really looking forward to doing this workshop.

I'll keep you guys posted on what I think about the class, but I wanted to share in case any of you might be looking for an inexpensive and helpful workshop. The class includes a 37 page PDF with 100 ways to use your tools, plus she has 120 minutes of video and plenty of example layouts using some of the methods she describes in the PDF. And it's only $12. Check it out!

Beach - Traditional Layout

This past weekend I had an overwhelming urge to be make a traditional 12x12 scrapbook page. I haven't made one in ages, but I knew I really wanted to play with the a photo from our beach day last week and highlight it with it's own page. I think not feeling forced to make traditional pages for an entire book allowed me to approach this completely stress-free. I enjoyed pulling together the supplies I wanted to use and had fun with it.

This page is exactly how I had it pictured in my head. Light and peaceful.

I love these Dear Lizzy thickers. I've used them on a Project Life layout before and they're just awesome. I have them in this aqua and a cream color, and they're currently my favorite thicker. 

I used a transparency by Basic Grey that came in one of my Studio Calico kits. For adhesive, I ran it through my Xyron and then used a glittered brad (Recollections - found on clearance). The Xyron is perfect for transparency adhesive, it doesn't show though it.

The script was done by stamping a Recollections (I think) cling stamp onto some fancy paper with Tim Holtz Tea Dye Distress Ink.

The star sequins came in my Studio Calico kit, but I found similar ones on Amazon here. They actually even have some silver ones, which would look sweet too! Again, I used my Xyron for adhesive for these, along with a craft knife to lift them from the tape and set them on the page because they're pretty small.

For the airbrushing/spritzing, I used my Stampin' Up! Color Spritzer tool with a light brown Copic Ciao marker. The spritzy look comes from the chisel tip, and the splattery look comes from the brush tip. 

One final look at the focal point of the page:

I had so much fun creating this page! Oh, and for the 12x12 paper and the light aqua paper, those were from DCWV, the Brights and Neutrals packs, found at Michaels.

Update

Like my new look?

I tested positive for Carpal Tunnel, so wrist guards all day for that. I may or may not have some sort of foot CTS (I forget the name), which there's really no treatment for. Could also be low blood sugar or a B12 deficiency. So I was sent for blood work too.

For now, the guards, and ergonomic changes at work, and more supportive shoes. Will know by Friday if anything abnormal in the blood.

If this stuff doesn't help and blood work is normal, it's off to a neurologist. Which, she warned me, is not very pleasant because they'll test my nerves involving some sort of electric current thing through my arms. I'm hoping no neurologist. One step at a time.

These things are a pain. It's harder to type and they're not all that comfortable but I suppose I'll get used to them.

I'm super proud of myself that not only did I not cry for the blood test, I didn't even get nervous! Maybe because I knew this was probably coming and should be done, but it didn't even hurt and was super quick. Last time I had blood work done I bawled my flippin' eyes out. Such a baby. A baby with four tattoos but still a wimp when it comes to needles or blood tests or IVs.

Will keep you guys posted. Thanks SO much for all your kind words and thoughts and prayers yesterday. It is very much appreciated and I am so thankful for you guys. :)

Nervous.

I booked an appointment tomorrow with the nurse at my dr. office that I'm a little nervous about. Of course, much of this nervousness comes from Dr. Google, which will tell you that if you sneeze more than 3 times an hour you're about to die or something like that.

I have been having some numbness in my feet for awhile now, off and on, and recently it's starting in my fingers - the ring finger and pinky finger on each hand, more so on my left hand. But it is both feet, around my toes.

Google this and you get several suggestions, none of which are "oh, that's normal." It's MS, or diabetes, or nerve damage. Or a stroke, but I know it's not that.

Given a family history of diabetes (not from birth, later in life), and some other symptoms that COULD be related, such as excessive thirst, frequently using the restroom, and occasionally getting lightheaded after not eating for a few hours...it isn't impossible. I've had bloodwork within the past two years that didn't show anything like that but I think since the numbness keeps recurring I should get it looked at.

Just nervous at potential results. I'm even nervous at the possible testing that I may have to undergo. I don't do well with most medical procedures, mentally, so I'm a bit scared.

Hoping that it's just circulation or something simple.