Hello...... Hello...... Can Anyone Hear Me?

Just checking to see if this blog even works anymore..... LOL!

Life has kept me pretty busy this past year. It was my daughter's senior year in high school and between college visits, fundraisers, trips, track meets, and various other competitions it seemed like we were constantly on the run.  School and family took up most of my time. I don't think I have scrapbooked in over a year. I did create the occasional greeting card, but other than that my supplies have just been gathering dust.

Last week that all changed.

I came home after teaching a week in our summer credit recovery program and I logged on one of my favorite websites: Scrappin' Mojo. (There's a link in the sidebar if you are interested.) It just so happened that the gals were hosting a summer crop full of WONDERFUL challenges. The timing was perfect!

So far I have finished 4 challenges, creating 4 cards, three of which I will share with you. (The other one..... I am not so happy with.... If you want to see it, you will have to visit the website.

CARD 1

This card is for the single layer challenge. That in itself is something I rarely do. I also decided to try a new stamping technique. I grabbed a small rectangular acrylic block and inked it up. Then I spritzed it with a water mist so the ink would bead up. Then I stamped directly on the paper. After my rectangles dried I went back and added the flower stamping and dry embossed some lines above and below the image.

CARD 2

 



This one was for a polka dot challenge. I LOVE polka dots! I used one of my many embossing folders to emboss the bottom edge of the card. Then I dry embossed some lines above that to create an area for my stamped greeting. I raided my flower drawer and found a printed plastic flower, a chipboard flower, and a rhinestone sticker flower. I stacked all of those to create my own unique flower at the top of the card.

CARD 3

 

 

This one was for the watercolor challenge and was inspired by a card on Pinterest. I used the same technique that I mentioned earlier, this time inking up a larger acrylic block with several different colors of distress ink. Then I spritzed it with water and stamped on watercolor paper to create the background. I blotted it with paper towel and allowed it to dry before stamping the image with black ink.

 

The summer challenges have been extended through this week, so I am hoping to get a couple more done. Who knows? I may even get out some pictures and scrapbook a page or two!

My Attempt at Cardmaking

I am a member of the Scrappin' Mojo group online.... (link is provided in my sidebar.) This is a great group of gals who love scrapping, cardmaking, and papercrafting. Some of them got together a few months ago and formed a small group who participates in a special card event monthly. One member will put together a card kit and sends it out to each member. Each crafter works to use the kit contents to create their own special card creations and shares them in a blog post.

I have watched every month as ladies posted wonderful inspirational cards and found myself oohing and aahing at their creativity. As for me..... cards have just not been a strong point. I think that this is largely due to the fact that I just haven't tried to create them very much.

A couple of months ago one of the kit club members surprised me by sending me the kit. I opened the kit and found myself almost afraid to cut into anything. My cards just aren't good enough...... at least that is what the little voice inside my head kept saying. Besides, my scrap space was so stacked up at the time that I didn't even have space to work.

This month another member of the club sent me the kit. Once again I opened it and found myself in awe of the contents. (Here is a pic.... so you can ooh and aah right along with me...)

See what I mean? GREAT stuff..... Anyone could create cards with this stuff, right? I had to give it a try. Besides, my scrap room is now relatively clean and organized, so that isn't even an excuse anymore.

I headed off to Pinterest, my usual inspirational search location and with a little help from there, I was actually able to create 4 cards that I am happy to say, I MADE!!!

Hey, I could get used to this! As long as I have Pinterest to help me with ideas....LOL!

Seriously though.. if you like cardmaking and scrapbooking, check out Scrappin' Mojo. These ladies are fantastic crafters and some of the sweetest ladies you will meet. And who knows..... you might discover that you can do things you didn't think you could do too!

Better Late Than Never....

First of all, an update....

Since I last posted I have finished 3 graduation cards and one layout that I didn't post here. (The layout was actually a project for my sweet hubby. He had been asked to do a layout for a scrapbook that a group was completing at school. He was a bit lost on what to do, so I helped him out.)

Now....on to the latest thing that I finished.

I know that it is June on the calendar, but I had a layout or 2 that I was trying to finish up for the May challenges over at Mojo. The challenge was to
use an altered photo on a layout. I don't remember exactly what I did, but I used Photoshop to alter this photo. The journaling was the important part to me. (What can I say? It must be the English teacher in me.)