Forever Nomads

Elegant Reindeer

2011-12-30T16:29:00.000+08:00

This year I only bought one new set of holiday stamps, "North Country" by Prima. The flourished reindeer is one of my favorite stamps from the set - classic and elegant.

I love the idea of Papertrey Ink's Half & Half dies, but a) I don't own them (their international shipping is just too high) and b) I needed a wider version to accommodate the reindeer stamp. So, I created my own using my Cricut and the Elegant Edges cartridge. I really like how it turned out! The reindeer was stamped with antique gold pigment ink, then embellished with rhinestones in various sizes and colors. Papercrafting supplies may be virtually nonexistent here in China, but the one thing I can find plenty of is rhinestones!

This afternoon I'm enjoying a little post-holiday down-time, listening to the new Florence & the Machine album (so far I liked her first album better) and doing a little crafting. My tummy is full of tasty Ajisen Ramen soup, our apartment is warm and cozy, and I'm wrapped up in my favorite "grandpa sweater" sipping a cup of coffee. Yep, it's a good day.

Supplies
Stamps: Prima "North Country" (reindeer), SEI (flourish), Studio G (sentiment)
Ink: Stamp It Up! pigment (antique gold), ColorBox pigment (antique pewter), Versamark
Accessories: Cricut / Elegant Edges cartridge, clear embossing powder, small corner rounder punch, adhesive rhinestones, foam adhesive

MFTT: Stripe-tastic!

2011-12-27T14:01:00.000+08:00

This week's Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger features this pic full of stripey goodness:

I knew I wanted to replicate those bold, graphic stripes, so I rummaged through my stash till I found a long-forgotten stripe stamp. The dress and the styling of the photo seemed very "Anthro" to me, which led me down a creative rabbit-trail that ended with the idea of retro typography as the focal point for my card:

The sentiment was added with my labelmaker. I made this one as a winter holiday card, but by using a different color scheme and changing the words to "you" & "me", this could easily become a Valentine's Day or anniversary card.

Be sure to stop by Moxie Fab World to check out the rest of the entries!

Supplies:
Stamps: Impression Obsession "Borders"
Ink: Stamp It Up pigment, My Mind's Eye pigment
Accessories: Cricut / Cake Basics cartridge, Dymo Labelmaker, black label tape, small corner rounder punch, foam adhesive

Star of Wonder...

2011-12-24T14:15:00.000+08:00

Our stockings are hung, the presents are wrapped, and our Christmas playlist has been in heavy rotation. Tonight we're hoping to stroll through the Christkindlmarkt and watch a holiday movie or two.

Today's card features a little glitter-trick I like to use called clear packing tape. Start off with a negative diecut, then apply a strip of tape across the backside of your cutout so that the sticky portion shows through to the front. Pour glitter onto the sticky portion, press down to adhere, then shake/brush off the excess. Perfect glitter application every time!

In this case, I added a second negative diecut, cut an inch larger than the first, adhered on top of the glittered layer with foam adhesive. The completed 3-D star panel was then attached flat to the cardfront.

I'm looking forward to a nice, relaxing holiday, just me and the hubby. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas with your family and loved ones!

Supplies
Cricut / Joys of the Season cartridge, Martha Stewart "copper" glitter, clear packing tape, foam adhesive

MFTT: And a Partridge in a Pear Tree

2011-12-18T15:09:00.000+08:00

It's been forever since I've had a chance to play along with the Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger, but this week's trigger was just too pretty to pass up:

I decided to create my own nature-themed card, incorporating the subtle sparkle and soft grays of the inspiration pic:

I stamped the border image onto the deer with silver metallic ink, then glammed it up with some teeny-tiny rhinestones and pearls. (Can I just say how much I love this deer diecut? I want to use it on everything!) I kept the rest of the card nice and simple. Because the front is sentiment-free, it can be used for any number of winter occasions.

Be sure to check out the rest of the entries over at Moxie Fab World!

Supplies
Stamps: Walmart $1 set
Ink: Silver Metallic
Accessories: Cricut / Give a Hoot cartridge, adhesive pearls, adhesive rhinestones, small corner rounder punch, foam adhesive

Candy-Filled Mini Tree-Box

2011-12-16T12:27:00.000+08:00

The tree stamp from the Prima "North Country" cling set is a perfect fit for this box from the Cricut "Tags, Bags, Boxes & More" cartridge. I cut the box at 4", stamped the tree with Versamark ink, and heat embossed with Zing embossing powder. Fill with M&Ms or Red Hot candies for a quick and easy holiday favor!

Supplies
Stamp: Prima "North Country"
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: Cricut / Tags, Bags, Boxes & More cartridge; Zing! embossing powder; double-sided redline adhesive; embroidery floss

Modern Poinsettia

2011-12-14T14:04:00.000+08:00

It's hard to believe Christmas is right around the corner! The past few months have been pretty busy for us; lots of business meetings, out-of-town guests, the works. We hosted a medical team from the States for a week-long project in a nearby rural province; my mom came to visit for two weeks (her first time in Asia!); and my father-in-law was here for a month. Needless to say, there hasn't been much time for paper-crafting!

Things have finally slowed down enough for me to work on a few holiday projects. I found this great poinsettia shape on the Cricut "Joys of the Season" cartridge. The negative cutout is attached to the cardfront with foam adhesive, with some black rhinestones for added sparkle. Clean, modern, and easy to mass-produce!

Supplies
Stamps: TPC Studio
Ink: Brilliance "Graphite Black"
Patterned Paper: "Happy Holidays" paper pack (Hobby Lobby)
Accessories: Cricut / Joys of the Season cartridge; adhesive rhinestones; foam adhesive

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T19:50:00.000+08:00

Today I'm thankful for so many things - my wonderful husband, family, friends, this crazy adventure Seth and I get to share every single day... It's a good life!

Card Supplies:
Cricut / Something to Celebrate cartridge, small corner rounder punch, foam adhesive

Pop-Up

2011-08-26T15:51:00.000+08:00

It's been pretty quiet around here the last few days. Well, when I say "quiet" I mean "uneventful", because we happen to live in a pretty noisy neighborhood. The Chinese might call it 热闹 (rènào), which means "lively, bustling with noise" (with a positive connotation) - we call it "say goodbye to peace and quiet". But in a city of 23 million people, can you really expect anything different?

One thing I do love about our neighborhood is that we have so many food options within walking distance: Japanese, Korean, Indian, German, French, American, Spanish, not to mention all of the Chinese options. For lunch today we had Thai: green chicken curry, spring rolls... So good.

The pop-up card above is the result of some tinkering around in Cricut Design Studio. It lays flat for mailing, and then the recipient can simply fold the bottom half of the cardfront at the hinge to make the words stand up. I thought about adding some masking/stamping to the letters, but then decided less is more. I already have someone in mind for this one - hope it puts a smile on their face!

Supplies:
Cricut / Design Studio / Martha Stewart Elegant Cake Art cartridge

MFTT: Girly & Gutsy

2011-08-20T15:02:00.000+08:00

This week's Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger challenge was too great to pass up:

The yellow chairs, black and white rug, fisheye mirror, starburst light fixture... Oh. My. Word. Here's my interpretation:

I cut a starburst shape from a transparency with my Cricut, then glammed it up with rhinestones. (Did you notice the one pink rhinestone in the very center? Had to get that pink in there somehow!) Next, I bent up the "rays" at alternating angles to give it some motion. Here's a side view:

The black background is actually adhesive vinyl, cut with (you guessed it) my Cricut. I really like how the vinyl turned out - I'll definitely be trying this again!

Card Supplies:
Acetate transparency, black vinyl, Cricut / Design Studio / Elegant Edges cartridge (frame) / Storybook cartridge (flourish background), adhesive rhinestones, foam dimensionals

Happy Days

2011-08-11T14:01:00.000+08:00

Reuters

This past weekend, we were geared up to bunker down in our little apartment as typhoon Muifa barreled towards us. Hubby, who spent part of his childhood in Taiwan (which averages 3-4 typhoons a year), had told me stories of taping windows, grown men being blown off their feet, and sideways-sheeting rain. Now, I grew up in the US Midwest, where huddling in a storm cellar during tornado warnings was just a part of life. But here in this mega-city of high-rises, we certainly don't have any basements to hide out in. As we went to bed late Saturday night, the wind was already beginning to gust, rattling our windows and fluttering the curtains. Imagine our surprise (and relief) when we awoke the next morning to find that the storm had weakened and changed course, leaving only some blustery winds and intermittent showers in its wake!

In honor of that happy news, I've got a little card creation to share:

That red frame? It's from the Cricut "Elegant Edges" cartridge, which has become my go-to crafting item. It's like having scores of Nesties at the press of a button. Each shape has a regular and oblong version with matching frame, plain or decorative-layer options, plus coordinating border strips and decorative-edge book pages. (You can see it all here.) A lot of Cricut cartridges are too cartoony-cutesy for my taste, but this one is a cardmaker's dream!

New to my wishlist is the "Art Philosphy" cartridge. (Check out the handbook for this one!) It's exactly the kind of cartridge I've been hoping they'd make: clean, modern, non-cutesy artwork, with as much content as they could possibly cram into one cartridge. Images, labels, cards, tags, 3D flowers, boxes, pennants, borders, a font... Unfortunately, it's only available through Close To My Heart as part of a (pretty pricey) bundle, which means no cheap deals online. I like it so much, though, I'm going to have to start saving my pennies. I do have a birthday coming up... Hubby, are you reading this? ; )

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Sassafras Lass "Songwriter", Stampin Up "Many Happy Returns" (sentiment); Ink: ColorBox pigment "Chestnut", My Mind's Eye "Natural" pigment palette; DCWV cardstock; Accessories: Cricut / Design Studio / Elegant Edges cartridge / Fabulous Finds cartridge, embroidery floss, small corner rounder punch, foam dimensionals

Battening Down the Hatches

2011-08-06T22:36:00.000+08:00

Here in Shanghai we're bracing for Typhoon Muifa, which is expected to be the worst storm to hit the city since 2005. The neighborhood guards have been walking the streets with megaphones, advising residents to take precautions, and we've received text-message PSAs warning us to beware of flying objects, flooding, and electrocution. Needless to say, we'll be spending the rest of the weekend cozied up in our apartment, watching dvds and reading a good book or two. Hmm, might be the perfect opportunity for a little Criminal Minds marathon...

Fun With Letters

2011-08-05T17:34:00.000+08:00

Hubby and I caught an early matinee yesterday - 3D glasses, popcorn, cokes, the works. Such a fun date! China only allows about 20 foreign films to be shown per year, so seeing an American movie in the theater is a rare treat for us.

On the creative front, lately my eye has been drawn to creative typography - in subway art posters, stationery, print ads, etc. I got an idea in my head, and came up with this fun little reusable mask, perfectly sized for an A2 cardfront:

Which I then used to make this:

I sponged inside the mask using a seafoam green ink, then stamped the letters in red. I think this would also look cool with polka dots, or chevron stripes, even woodgrain - so many possibilities!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Sassafras Lass "Songwriter"; Ink: My Mind's Eye "Natural" pigment palette, Stamp It Up! pigment (red); Accessories: Cricut / Design Studio / Martha Stewart Seasonal Cake Art cartridge, small corner rounder punch

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge CFC13

2011-08-03T15:00:00.000+08:00

This week's challenge at CAS-ual Fridays is to create a 4x9" card. That's a pretty big canvas to work with! After a lot of thinking, and even more tinkering, here's what I came up with:

I created the large label shape with Cricut Design Studio, stamped the ends, then used a Cuttlebug embossing folder on the center portion. Here's a closeup of the sentiment:

I used a blender pen to color in the border around the sentiment, then finished it off with three teeny tiny rhinestones. Everything's better with a little bling!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: American Crafts "Hello There" (sentiment), SEI (polka dots); Ink: My Mind's Eye "Sundress" pigment palette, Stamp It Up! pigment (lavender), ColorBox pigment "Antique Pewter"; Cardstock: American Crafts; Accessories: Cricut / Design Studio / Elegant Edges cartridge, Cuttlebug / Seeing Spots embossing folder, small corner rounder punch, blender pen, adhesive rhinestones, foam adhesive

Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger: Squares to Cherish

2011-07-30T14:46:00.000+08:00

This week's Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger challenge brings us this lovely inspiration pic:

I wanted to recreate those graphic layered squares, as well as incorporate the soothing colors. I started by using Cricut Design Studio to create a set of concentric medallions centered within a 4" square:

I cut the whole thing out of white cardstock, then inked and stamped away. Here's the finished product:

The only colored paper used is the gray cardfront - the rest is all just inks (direct to paper) and stamps! The layers are attached with varying thicknesses of foam dimensionals for added depth. Not bad for just a 4" square of white cardstock, don't you think?

Card Supplies:
Stamps: SEI "Bridgeport", Stampin' Up (sentiment); Ink: Stamp It Up! pigment (lavender), My Mind's Eye "Natural" pigment palette; Accessories: Cricut / Design Studio software / Elegant Edges cartridge, foam dimensionals

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge CFC12

2011-07-27T14:16:00.000+08:00

I finally get to play along with another CAS-ual Fridays challenge! This week the challenge is to use a rub-on or sticker on your project. Here's my creation:

Now, I have to confess: this is my first time EVER using a rub-on on a card! I've had this one little pack of American Crafts rub-ons for years, but for some reason I've always been hesitant to break them out. Let me tell you, I'm a convert! They go on smoothly, and the coverage is superb. I'll definitely be using more of these in the future!

Card Supplies:

Cricut / Sentimentals cartridge (peacock feather); American Crafts rub-on; small corner rounder punch; foam dimensionals

Summer Show & Tell

2011-07-27T13:51:00.000+08:00

After yet another round of VPN issues, I finally have access to Blogger again. Sometimes the restrictions here really get under my skin! Now, where were we before our unscheduled break?

So far my summer has been filled with things like yummy food:

Colorful art exhibits:

And stunning views:

Can't wait to see how the rest of the summer unfolds!

Mustache Love

2011-05-26T22:36:00.000+08:00

Wow, so is anyone else having issues with Blogger again? I had to clear my cache and delete my Blogger cookies before it would even let me log in. Grr!

My facial-hair-sporting hubby is coming home tonight after being away on a week-long trip, so here's a little card I made in his honor:

Hee! I added some "texture" to the mustache by inking up the stamp, then pressing it against an uninked woodgrain stamp before stamping onto cardstock. What can I say - I love mustaches, I love woodgrain, why not put them together? The rectangle is debossed into the cardfront using this technique. A pretty simple card, but sometimes the simple ones are the most fun!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: My Cute Stamps "Mustaches", Hero Arts "Designer Woodgrain"; Ink: ColorBox pigment "Chestnut", "Roussillon"; Accessories: Cuttlebug / Rectangle Nestabilities, foam adhesive

Pinwheel Bouquet

2011-05-23T22:36:00.000+08:00

The challenge photo over at Play Date Cafe this week got the wheels in my head turning:

I had some older My Mind's Eye patterned papers that I knew would be a good match for these colors. And I'd been wanting to try out the pinwheel from the Easter 2010 Cricut cartridge...

Aren't those pinwheels fun? Here's a closeup:

Putting those leftover disposable chopsticks to good use!

And the matching card (with super-cute mini pinwheel):

Wouldn't these make great party decorations? They were such a blast to make - I'm just itching for an excuse to make more!

Supplies:
My Mind's Eye patterned paper; Hero Arts "Everyday Sayings" stamps (sentiment); My Mind's Eye "Natural" pigment ink palette; Cricut / Mother's Day 2010 cartridge (pinwheel) / Easter 2010 cartridge (starburst seal); Cuttlebug / Seeing Spots embossing folder; brads; chopsticks (as pinwheel sticks)

A Look Back: China Travels

2011-05-23T15:12:00.000+08:00

We had barely been in China for a month when we were given the opportunity to participate in a three-week English seminar in northern Shaanxi province. We stayed in the small village of Ansai (安塞), which is famous throughout China for its waist drum dance.

(image source)

The dancers wear oblong drums at their waist, each hand holding a drumstick with a trailing red streamer.

(image source)

Every evening we could find men and women, young and old, gathered in the center of town to practice. It's a joyous, energetic dance, full of leaps and kicks, driven by a pulsing beat drummed out in unison. As a spectator, one can't help but be captivated by the pounding rhythm, the buoyant steps, as the drumming reverberates throughout your entire body.

We were lucky enough to be there while the local elementary school was performing for a national news broadcast. It was raining off and on, but that didn't dampen their spirits one bit!

Check out those high kicks! Ah, to be that limber again...

The pic above is one of my favorites - my husband snapped it while the children were taking a quick break.

Of course, mere words and pictures can't capture the intensity of this dance. After a little searching, I managed to find this video:

I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse of China!

Regal Thanks

2011-05-21T13:19:00.000+08:00

Playing along with this week's Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger, Some Royal Fun. Isn't this the cutest trigger pic?

I immediately knew I wanted to mimic those fun little flags, as well as the black doodle-style accents - and of course the jewels!

I stamped the black flourish images onto light blue cardstock, then added a few accents with a white gel pen. However, it all seemed a little too busy, so I added a layer of velum to tone things down. (Velum is really hard to photograph, btw!) Next I rounded the edges, then diecut the banner and its outline frame. A sentiment in a whimsical script and some subtle bling was all it needed!

This card also qualifies for the CAS-ual Fridays CFC3 Challenge: to use bling on a Clean And Simple card:

Be sure to head over and check out both of these challenges!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Amy Butler (flourish), Hero Arts "All Occasion Messages" (sentiment); Ink: black pigment; Accessories: Cricut / Design Studio / Mother's Day 2010 cartridge, Signo white gel pen, vellum, small corner rounder punch, adhesive rhinestones, foam adhesive

Dear Doilies

2011-05-19T16:42:00.000+08:00

You know, when we first moved to China back in 2004, cardmaking was a lot more basic than it is now. Dry embossing was done with a light-box, patterned paper was reserved for scrapbook pages, and I had never even heard of a stamping blog. I came overseas with a stack of colored cardstock, a handful of Stampin' Up sets, and the four SU color-families of dye ink cubes. My, how things have changed!

Now, I'll let you in on a little secret - my love affair with the CAS (Clean And Simple) style really stems from the fact that I don't have access to a lot of the products available in the States. I have to work at making as big of an impact as possible, using fewer supplies. Of course, I've grown to love the challenge it presents! I try to purchase products that can be used in a variety of ways, that give the biggest bang for my buck - like my digital die-cutter. Have I mentioned how much fun I'm having with this thing?

For this card, I manipulated a tag image in Cricut Design Studio to make it "fatter", then cut an identical tag a smidge larger to create a shadow layer. Some stamping, some inking along the edges, foam adhesive to pop the top layer, and a little paper piercing on either side - put it all on a woodgrain-embossed panel, and you've got yourself a card!

Well, I'm out the door to meet hubby for Indian buffet. Thanks for stopping by!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: My Mind's Eye "Gertie: Girly", American Crafts "Sing Along" (sentiment); Ink: ColorBox pigment "Ochre", "Chianti"; Accessories: Cricut / Design Studio / Sentimentals cartridge, Cuttlebug / Papertrey Ink "Woodgrain" Impression Plate, paper piercer, foam adhesive, small corner rounder punch, adhesive pearls

I've Missed You, Interwebs!

2011-05-17T16:32:00.000+08:00

Our home internet connection is up and running again, thanks to a new ISP! Woohoo!

(Oh, and yes, that is a view from my sixth floor apartment, and yes, that is a man dangling by a fraying piece of rope to wash the windows. Aren't you glad you don't have his job?)

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge CFC2

2011-05-16T18:37:00.001+08:00

So glad I get to play along with this week's challenge over at CAS-ual Fridays! My style is pretty CAS (Clean And Simple), so this new challenge blog is right up my alley. This week's challenge is to incorporate buttons and twine (or embroidery floss) into your design. Here's my card:

I hope they don't mind that I went with button stamps instead of actual buttons! I pierced holes in the center of each button, then threaded them with embroidery floss (can't have naked buttons now, can we?).

Entries are being accepted until 11:59 pm EST on Wednesday, so there's still time for you to link up your own creation!

Card Supplies
Stamps: Studio Calico "Buttons", My Mind's Eye "Hattie: Remember" (label), Hero Arts "All Occasion Messages" (sentiment); Ink: My Mind's Eye "Sundress", "Natural" pigment palettes; Accessories: embroidery floss, foam adhesive

Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger: Skirting the Issue

2011-05-14T22:06:00.001+08:00

I finally found time to play along with this week's Tuesday Trigger over at Moxie Fab World. Here's the inspiration pic:

Ardennes Skirt from Anthropologie

The horizontal stripes across the pleats immediately made me think of chevrons, and those soft sherbet-y colors were too perfect not to use:

I used the same DIY embossing plate technique from my earlier post to create the debossed frame. Next, I cut an additional (single-layer) frame to use as a mask. The single layer allowed the mask to fit down into the debossed groove, flush with the rest of the paper. Once the mask was in place (held down with a few dots of temporary adhesive), I went to town, sponging the entire cardfront with creamy taupe ink and stamping those colorful chevron stripes. Click on the pic for a larger image!

The flower was made by stacking several flower diecuts (every other layer stamped with polka dots), with a grouping of adhesive pearls for the center. A playful sentiment with additional pearls (colored with a Bic Mark It) made the perfect final touches.

Head on over and check out the rest of the entries - there's still time for you to link up your own creation!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: American Crafts "Hello There" (stripes), "Sentiments: Large", SEI "Bridgeport" (polka dots); Ink: My Mind's Eye "Sundress", "Natural" pigment ink palettes, Martha Stewart palette (pink); Accessories: Cricut / Storybook cartridge (frame) / Don Juan cartridge (flowers) / Fabulous Finds cartridge (label), Cuttlebug, adhesive pearls, Bic Mark It, foam adhesive

DIY Debossed Frame

2011-05-14T16:25:00.001+08:00

I guess I've got royals on the brain after all the recent festivities - I'm sure I'm not the only one! I was playing around with some diecuts and decided to make another DIY embossing plate. (Very easy: diecut three identical shapes and glue them all together, stacked, to make one thick piece.) I ran it through my Cuttlebug using this sandwich:

From bottom:

A plate
B plate
tan embossing mat (I use two together)
cardstock (face up for debossing, which I did for this card, or face down for embossing)
homemade embossing plate
B plate

Love the big impact such a simple technique can make!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Pink Paislee "Queen Bee"; Ink: ColorBox pigment "Surf"; Accessories: Cricut / Storybook cartridge, Cuttlebug, adhesive rhinestones

Framed Doilies

2011-05-12T19:27:00.000+08:00

Boy, long time no post! We've been having crazy internet issues -can't access ANY foreign (i.e. US) sites (no blogs, no google, no webstores, no news articles...) except at random times throughout the day and for only short windows. Very frustrating! Things seem to be working for the moment, though, so here goes...

I made this reusable stamping mask by using the negative from a diecut and a Zig 2-Way glue pen (following the pen's instructions for a temporary adhesive). It's important to use very thin cardstock, otherwise you'll have a hard time getting a clean impression when you stamp around the edges.

I cut my mask out of a piece of cardstock the same size as my cardfront (here, 5 1/2" x 4 1/4"), with the cut-out centered evenly. That way, it's just a simple matter of lining up the outer edges of the mask with the edges of the cardfront, and I know the stamped result will always be perfectly aligned, like so:

The mask is good for several uses before it needs to be replaced (you might need to refresh the adhesive a bit). I've already made three cards with this one, and it's still going strong!

The weather here is getting warmer and warmer, and we've been having lots of fun roaming the neighborhood and noshing on street food. My current favorite is made-to-order stir-fried noodles with egg, veggies, and hot pepper - SO good! It's hard to believe that as a teenager, I turned up my nose at the mere mention of Chinese food. My, how times have changed!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: My Mind's Eye "Gertie: Girly" (doilies), "Hattie: Remember" (label), Hero Arts "All Occasion Messages" (sentiment); Ink: ColorBox pigment "Picante", "Antique Pewter"; Accessories: Cricut / Design Studio / Storybook cartridge, adhesive pearls, foam adhesive, Zig 2-Way glue pen

Jumping on the Bandwagon

2011-05-04T22:03:00.000+08:00

Up till a few weeks ago, I'd resisted the banner/pennant trend. But then I started seeing not only mini-pennants, but double-sided cupcake flags in all sorts of bright, fun patterns. Not having a local scrapbook store to run out and buy them from, I set about trying to recreate my own.

I used the Design Studio software and the Cricut Mother's Day cartridge to create diamond-shaped pennants approximately 4 1/2"w x 1 1/8"h. Then I pulled out an assortment of patterned stamps and went to town! Unfortunately, I didn't have any cupcakes on hand, so I decided to go with a mini-banner card:

To give my banner something to "hang" from, I embossed the cardfront using Nestabilities and this technique . Next, I folded each pennant in half around a length of embroidery floss, adhering the sides together with tape runner, before tying off the ends of the floss. I attached each pennant to the cardfront using foam adhesive, then glued the bows in place.

To make cupcake flags, simply wrap each pennant around a toothpick and adhere. I love that I can stamp these in whatever designs I want, or cut them from patterned paper. And since I have the template saved in Design Studio, cutting more is as simple as the click of a mouse!

I have to say, I'm really having fun figuring out this whole electronic die-cutter thing. Is it essential for cardmaking? Not at all. But I do appreciate the extra "something" it can add to a project!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Anna Griffin "Darcey", SEI "Bridgeport", Papertrey Ink "Polka Dot Basics", Hero Arts "All Occasion Messages"; Ink: ColorBox pigment "Marigold", "Citrine", "Orange", "Razzberry", "Antique Pewter", "Picante", Versacolor "Mountain Lake"; Accessories: Cricut / Mother's Day 2010 cartridge / Design Studio software, Cuttlebug / Rectangle Nestabilities, embroidery floss, foam adhesive

Ginko Note

2011-05-03T08:58:00.000+08:00

We've been having major internet/VPN issues over the past few days (they're not kidding when they call it the "Great Firewall"), so hopefully I can at least get this posted. Fingers crossed!

I found this random gingko leaf on one of my Cricut cartridges (those "shift" and "creative feature" keys are always full of hidden gems), and I knew it would be perfect for a CAS (clean and simple) card. Check it out:

The middle section is stamped and popped up on foam adhesive (the outline part of the image is glued directly to the cardfront. Add a sentiment, round the bottom corners, and you're done! Here's another pic so you can see more of the dimension:

The clean lines of that gingko leaf are just perfect, don't you think? Definitely a happy discovery.

Now I'm off to enjoy the last day of May holiday - the weather has been great these past three days, and I'm loving it!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: SEI "Bridgeport", Hero Arts "Everyday Sayings"; Ink: My Mind's Eye "Sundress" pigment palette, ColorBox pigment "Antique Pewter"; Accessories: Cricut / Wild Card cartridge, small corner rounder punch, foam adhesive

5-Minute Card and Other Musings

2011-05-01T17:41:00.000+08:00

There's something about a clean, simple card that makes me happy. This one took me literally just minutes to make - I'm probably over-estimating when I say five.

You could whip up so many variations of this card, using different punches / die cuts and stamps. If you keep pre-scored blank cards on hand, it goes even faster. Here I used a die cut, a text stamp, and a corner rounder punch. Bare bones basics.

I thought that in addition to a card, I'd share a little snapshot of day-to-day life here in Shanghai (you can click on the pics for a larger view). This is a street in what is colloquially called "Old Town":

Just a quiet road: a scattering of small clothing shops, a few pedestrians, laundry hung out to dry from upstairs apartments. Did you notice the lone skyscraper in the distance, between the two telephone poles? If you follow the street along its meandering curves, you'll find that it opens onto this view:

Isn't the contrast between old and modern fascinating? One minute you're looking up at tile roofs and lattice windows, the next you're gazing at a futuristic skyline. I love wandering around this city - there's always something new to see!

Card Supplies:

Stamps: Teresa Collins "Posh"; Ink: ColorBox pigment "Antique Pewter"; Accessories: Cricut / Wild Card cartridge, small corner rounder punch, foam adhesive

Toilet Paper Embossing

2011-04-27T19:42:00.000+08:00

I've been drooling over the Pink Paislee "Artisan Elements: Frames" since they came out, but sadly I've never been able to snag a package. Gorgeous, no?

image from Pink Paislee

I do, however have their Bayberry Cottage stamp set, which contains an exact match to one of the frames. And I got to thinking: What if I could make my own version? Didn't I read somewhere that you could use wet toilet paper and rubber stamps to make embossed images? A little internet research led me to this step-by-step tutorial, which in turn led to this:

Can you believe that's just toilet paper? I used 6 sheets of 3-ply toilet paper, which resulted in a nice, sturdy piece. After drying for a few hours, I cut out the middle and trimmed around the edges with scissors and a craft knife. I still can't get over how easy it was. Here's a closeup so you can see a bit more of the detail:

It would also be really cool to try this with clay, although I'm not sure I'd have the patience to deal with rolling out the clay, trimming, drying, etc. I think for now I'll stick to the tp method!

Supplies:
Stamps: Pink Paislee "Bayberry Cottage" (frame), Teresa Collins "Posh" (bird), Hero Arts "Everyday Sayings" (sentiment)
Ink: SEI chalk "turquoise", "bordeaux"
Patterned Paper: Basic Grey "Urban Prairie", Prima Marketing "Melody"
Accessories: adhesive rhinestones, foam adhesive, toilet paper

Happy Easter!

2011-04-25T15:49:00.001+08:00

Wishing you a wonderful Easter weekend!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Studio G (sentiment), Impression Obsession (stitches)
Ink: ColorBox pigment "Chestnut", ColorBox chalk "Rose Coral", My Mind's Eye "Sundress" pigment palette, Versamark
Accessories: Cricut / Easter 2010 seasonal cartridge, Cuttlebug / Papertrey Ink Woodgrain impression plate, Sakura Souffle pen #907, corner rounder punch, foam adhesive

Damask Gift Card Holder

2011-04-20T19:05:00.001+08:00

One of the things on my (ever-growing) to-do list of projects has been the gift-card holders from the Cricut Wild Card cartridge. Unfortunately, giftcards aren't as prevalent here in China as they are in America, so that idea has had to simmer on the back burner. That is, until I saw the Gift Card Holder Challenge over at Moxie Fab World.

I cut the holder from watercolor paper at 4 1/2" (Real Dial Size), and the liner at 3 1/2" (Real Dial Size). After stamping the liner, I scored it horizontally 2 1/2" from the bottom and adhered it to the inside of the holder, lining up the fold of the liner with the fold of the top flap. Next, I assembled the rest of the holder using super-sticky double-sided tape.

I kept the outside simple, just adding a stamped label attached with foam adhesive. And here's a shot with a gift card inside (okay, I confess, it's actually a food-court swipe card!):

These little holders are super-easy to make with the Cricut. I'll definitely be making a batch of these the next time we're Stateside for Christmas!

(I know my last few posts have been Cricut-heavy, but hubby was starting to wonder if I was ever going to actually use the expensive gadget he got me for Christmas. And I have to say, I've been having lots of fun coming up with ways to incorporate it into my card-making routine!)

Supplies:
Stamps: American Crafts "Letterbox Large Enjoy" (frame/sentiment), Teresa Collins "Posh" (damask); Ink: ColorBox pigment "Rouge", My Mind's Eye "Natural" pigment palette; Cardstock: watercolor paper; Accessories: Cricut / Wild Card cartridge, foam adhesive

Rainbow 3x3 Set

2011-04-18T15:11:00.000+08:00

I've been playing around with my Cricut all weekend, and I whipped up this little set of cards, cut from the Sentimentals cartridge at 3". Even though this particular cartridge has a distinct Victorian feel, I love that I was able to use it to create a more modern look.

I took the leftover cut-out hearts, added some stamped script, then swapped them between the cards. I adhered them to the inside of each card by applying glue to the backside of the heart, holding the card closed on a flat surface, and inserting the heart back into the heart-shaped window for placement. Easy peasy!

I cut an envelope for each card (again using the Sentimentals cartridge - cut at Real Dial Size, 4") from a large kraft shipping envelope (more pliable than kraft cardstock). I assembled the envelopes using super-sticky double-sided tape, and added a strip on the top flap (protective backing left on) to use for sealing the envelope.

The icing on the cake is this adorable little box I made using kraft cardstock and the Wild Card cartridge (cut at 5 1/4"). See how they all fit in there perfectly?

Here's how it looks all put together:

{Love}. I am such a sucker for cute little boxes and bags and such. There's a pillow box on the 2010 Easter cartridge that I've got big plans for...

This set also happens to qualify for the 350 Cards & Gifts Week: The Card Sets Challenge at Moxie Fab World. Head on over and check out the other entries!

Supplies:
Stamps: Teresa Collins "Posh" (script); Ink: SEI chalk "Charcoal"; Cardstock: American Crafts "Tropicals", kraft, kraft shipping envelope; Accessories: Cricut / Sentimentals cartridge / Wild Card cartridge, super-sticky double-sided tape

Tuesday Trigger Challenge: Porch Play

2011-04-16T13:11:00.000+08:00

Seriously, how could I resist playing along with this week's Tuesday Trigger over at Moxie Fab World? I mean, look at this gorgeousness:

That amazing mirror, the bright colors... yes, please! Not to mention another chance to play around with my Cricut.

First, I diecut a frame and its layer out of leftover cereal box (yes, the Cricut can cut chipboard!) using the Sentimentals cartridge, then added this:

And ended up with this:

The edged cardbase is another cut from the Sentimentals cartridge.

The best part? My DIY frame is actually a magnet!

I simply attached it to the cardfront with glue dots for easy removal.

I had SO much fun making this card. I love it so much, I might not be able to give this one away!

Card Supplies:

Stamps: American Crafts "Letterbox Small Thanks", Papertrey Ink "Polka Dot Basics", Ink: ColorBox pigment "Aqua", SEI chalk "Cumquats"; Accessories: Cricut / Sentimentals cartridge, cereal box, OPI nail polish, Ranger Glossy Accents, adhesive rhinestones, foam adhesive, adhesive magnets, glue dots

Diecut Damask

2011-04-14T17:17:00.000+08:00

Spring is (finally) in the air, and I'm feeling the urge to spruce up and redecorate. While I think a funky pink (or orange!) damask chair would be the perfect piece to add to our home, that's not really Seth's speed. At all. So, I'll have to content myself with this:

Yes, this will have to do. At least this way I can make the upholstery any color I want...

Card Supplies:
Stamps: American Crafts "Small Thanks", Stampin Up "So Many Sayings"; Ink: ColorBox pigment "Razzberry", My Mind's Eye pigment "Natural" palette; Accessories: Cricut / Sentimentals cartridge, foam adhesive

Tuesday Trigger Challenge: A Burst of Blooms

2011-04-10T13:09:00.000+08:00

I've been trying to use my Cricut more; I've got an idea list a mile long, but I just haven't had a chance to implement much of it. Then I saw this week's Tuesday Trigger over at Moxie Fab World:

And I knew I had to make this:

I used the Don Juan Cricut cartridge's "Stitched" option to create my own "sewing card." The initial holes were WAY too small, so I went back over them using a paper piercer and foam mat. After that it was just a matter of stitching up the design (while watching a couple of episodes of How I Met Your Mother). It was a little more time-consuming than the cards I usually make, but I really enjoyed making it - there's just something so relaxing about working with a needle and thread!

Card Supplies:
Ink: Ranger Distress Ink (Antique Linen); Accessories: Cricut / Don Juan cartridge, Cuttlebug / Distressed Stripes embossing folder, corner rounder punch, embroidery floss, foam tape

Mustaches & Sunshine

2011-04-06T14:25:00.002+08:00

I don't know about you, but I'm ready for spring to finally make up its mind and stick around. This schizophrenic weather is driving me nuts! I tried to channel some warm weather vibes with this card:

The moment I saw these adorable mustache stamps, I knew I had to add them to my collection. My hubby Seth has had a goatee for almost as long as I've known him (he even won a goatee contest in college), and my grandpa sported a handlebar mustache (with wax and everything!) for years. I guess you could say I've got a soft spot for the facial hair.

My inspiration was the plethora of "mustache on a stick" photobooth props I've been seeing all over the blogosphere. I simply cut a disposable chopstick down to size (we have a bazillion of those things floating around the kitchen - go figure!), taped it to the back of my stamped mustache, and attached it all to the cardfront with foam adhesive and some Tombow mono-multi. Fun, huh? I can tell I'm going to have a blast with this set!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: My Cute Stamps "Mustaches"; American Crafts "Sing Along" (sentiment); Ink: black pigment; Accessories: small corner rounder punch, foam adhesive

Brighter Day

2011-03-30T16:42:00.000+08:00

The new lightbulb stamps from Maya Road are quickly becoming some of my new favorites. They're full of retro-kitsch fun:

I stamped the lightbulbs onto kraft cardstock, then sponged around each one with Tea Dye distress ink (leaving the actual stamped images untouched). The result is kind of a "glowy" effect, giving the lightbulbs a subtle pop. For the sentiment, my trusty Dymo labelmaker added the perfect "industrial" touch.

A while back, I mentioned the winter-time sidewalk sweet potato vendors we have here in China. I finally remembered to snap a picture of one:

Basically a 55-gallon drum rigged up with two wheels and a wooden push-handle, with the inside filled with coal for roasting corn and sweet potatoes. On a cold day, the vendors manning the carts are enveloped in clouds of fragrant steam wafting from the piping hot vegetables. Melty-tender, naturally sweet, they're the perfect meal-on-the-go!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Maya Road "Eureka Lightbulb"; Ink: black pigment, Ranger "Tea Dye" distress ink, Ranger "Walnut Stain" distress ink; Cardstock: kraft; Accessories: Dymo labelmaker, foam dimensionals

Paper Crafts March 2011 Gallery Challenge

2011-03-29T08:37:00.000+08:00

I've got just enough time to squeeze this in before the challenge deadline. I wanted to make a nice, neutral baby card that could work for either a boy or a girl (great to make ahead and keep in your stash),something a little fresh and not too cutesy. Here's the result:

I gave the little eggs a touch of color using a watercolor pencil and a blender pen (lay down colored pencil first, using appropriate shading, then use blender pen to even out and blend color). The rest is just some simple Cuttlebugging and foam tape between layers for texture and dimension. I think this card would also look great in a pale, pale yellow, or celery, or light periwinkle... What do you guys think?

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Studio G; Ink: SEI chalk (Cocoa), ColorBox Pigment (Chestnut); Accessories: Cuttlebug / Rectangle Nestabilities / Forest Branches embossing folder, watercolor pencils, blender pen, foam dimensional tape

Hello Again...

2011-03-28T14:45:00.000+08:00

Is anybody still out there? Oh my goodness gracious, where has the time gone? The last few months have been busy, to say the least. Since Christmas, we've had two weeks of Chinese New Year (kind of a big deal around here), a trip to Thailand, house guests, a visit to a friend in Shenzhen, out-of-town business contacts to show around the city, and lots of work stuff for hubby. And it's just going to keep getting busier from there!

I've finally gotten a chance to sit down and craft again; boy have I missed it! I just recently got my hands on some of the new stamp releases from My Mind's Eye, American Crafts, and Maya Road. Can I just say LOVE? I'm glad to finally see some new products in stores. Of course I had to break everything out right away - and here's one of my first creations:

I was inspired by this super-cute Unity stamp (which just might have to find its way into my next shopping cart). In the meantime, I thought this was a pretty good facsimile, no? The "Thickers" were made using adhesive fun foam and a Cuttlebug alpha.

Well, gotta keep this one short and sweet. More cards coming soon!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: American Crafts "Hello There"; Ink: My Mind's Eye "Sundress" pigment ink palette; Accessories: Cuttlebug / Rectangle Nestabilities / Olivia Alphabet dies / Quickutz Retro Diamonds embossing folder, fun foam, adhesive pearl

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T16:44:00.000+08:00

One last Christmas card to share today (although you might still see a winter-themed card here and there - we still have a long ways to go till spring!). I bought these Studio Calico button stamps several months ago, but this is the first time I've gotten to use them. I think they'd look even better heat embossed, or covered in Ranger Glossy Accents. I can't wait to play around with them some more!

Let me tell you, I am SO ready for Christmas to be here. Today has been one of "those" days - woke up to water leaking out of the toilet tank (and I had just put one of those blue discs in, so bright blue water was staining the grout behind the toilet). Had a guy come to "fix" it, which left blue water ALL over the bathroom floor. Sacrificed some towels to clean up the blue mess, then threw them in the washer... only to walk by a few minutes later to see sudsy water all over the floor, and gushing out of the front of the washer... This was all happening mere hours before friends were scheduled to come over - so in the middle of all the chaos I was also trying to bake mini coffee cakes (from a never-tried-before recipe), make a gift tag, sign a card, wrap said cakes, and apply my makeup... Really, all I could do was laugh. Can we just skip ahead 16 or so hours to Christmas?

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday weekend (and hoping your toilets and washers are all in working order)! ; )

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Studio Calico (Buttons), Studio G (sentiment); Ink: Ranger Distress (Antique Linen), Stampin' Up craft (Always Artichoke), Ink It Up! pigment (red); Patterned Paper: Basic Grey (Eskimo Kisses); Accessories: Cuttlebug / 2x2 Scalloped Squares dies / 2x2 Circles dies, cereal box "chipboard," embroidery floss, small corner rounder punch, foam dimensionals

Deck the Halls

2010-12-22T19:24:00.000+08:00

Can you believe Christmas is almost here? Yikes! I still have so much to do! I made this quick card yesterday in between bouts of cleaning (my father-in-law is coming to stay with us for a few weeks, so we've been in deep-clean mode). I wanted to try out this Cricut diecut, and decided it would look even better with glitter. I used this super-easy method:

Place dicut face-down on craft mat.
Apply a large piece of packing tape to the back of the diecut, covering the cutout opening(s).
Flip diecut back over, right-side facing up. The sticky side of the tape should be showing through the cutout(s).
Pour glitter onto diecut. Cover with a scrap piece of paper and press down firmly in order to adhere glitter evenly to sticky areas. Tap off excess glitter, and voila! A glittered image without any messy glue!

I've been tagged by the super-talented Cristina to answer a few questions about myself. So here goes!

1. Four shows that you watch:
    Bones
    NCIS
    Vampire Diaries
Criminal Minds

2. Four things you are passionate about:
    God
My husband
    The NGO my husband and I work with here in China
Creativity in all forms

3. Four words/phrases you say a lot:
    Meh...
    No barking! (to our Schnauzer)
    你好 ("hello" in Chinese)
    Coffee sounds REALLY good right now!

4. Four things you've learned from the past:
    Home is relative.
    You're stronger than you think you are.
    You CAN have too much chocolate.
    Go ahead and try "it" (whatever "it" is) - you just might really like it!

5. Four places you would like to go:
    Rome
    Paris
    Tokyo
    Angkor Wat

6. Four things you did yesterday:
    Started cleaning up my craft area (but then...)
    Made another mess in my craft area
    Played around with my Cricut
    Watched a movie with dh

7. Four things you are looking forward to:
    Christmas
    Our wedding anniversary next week (14 years!)
    Our trip to Thailand next month
    My new Cricut cartridge that's in the mail

8. Four things you love about Winter:
    Snow
    Peppermint hot chocolate
    Christmas decorations
    Sidewalk hat/glove vendors

9. Tag four people to play along:

I'm actually going to leave this open to anyone who happens to read this blog. Just let me know if you answer the questions - I'd love to learn more about you!

Card Supplies:
Cuttlebug / Woodgrain Impression Plate (Papertrey Ink), Cricut / Joys of the Season cartridge, eyelet, packing tape, Martha Stewart glitter (peridot), Dymo labelmaker, woodgrain label tape

DIY Embossing Plates

2010-12-19T15:02:00.000+08:00

I held out as long as I could, but with a little nudging from hubby I went ahead and opened my new Cricut. This time everything is working great! (My previous Cricut dropped dead after only a handful of uses.)

One of the really cool things you can do with the Cricut is make your own embossing plates (aka impression plates or texture plates). It's insanely easy! First, choose your image and size it appropriately, then cut it out three times from cardstock. I cut this square image at 3 3/4" (real dial size off):

Next, glue the three diecuts on top of each other, keeping them aligned as closely as possible (I used a Zig 2-Way Glue Pen). You'll end up with one thick diecut, like this:

Once the glue is dry, your new "embossing plate" is ready for use in your manual embossing machine! Here's the stack that I used in my Cuttlebug, starting from the bottom:

A Plate
B Plate
DIY embossing plate
Cardstock
Spellbinders tan embossing mat*
B Plate

*I actually use two tan mats together - it works best for my Cuttlebug - but I recommend starting with just one mat. Some Cuttlebugs are tighter/looser than others!

And here's the finished product:

See how nice and crisp the impression is? Just think of the possibilities - it's got me looking at Cricut cartridges in a whole new light!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: SEI "Windsor" (leaf), PTI "Mixed Messages" (sentiment); Ink: Ink It Up! pigment (olive), SEI chalk (cocoa); Accessories: Cricut / Storybook cartridge, Cuttlebug / 2x2 stamps die / 2x2 sliders die, watercolor paper, raffia, edge distresser, foam dimensionals

Quick Holiday Cards, Part 2

2010-12-14T14:19:00.000+08:00

I'm on a roll this week! Gotta make use of the mojo while it's here, that's for sure! Today I've got two more quick holiday cards to share:

I have to say, these pics do not do these cards justice! (You can click on each for a better look.) I stamped the snowflakes with silver and copper metallic inks, and IRL they have a gorgeous glow-y shine. Maybe if the sun comes out later this week, I can try again. Anyway, the challenge over at Splitcoaststampers is to create holiday cards that can be made in 15 minutes or less, for those moments when you need a card "on the fly." Both cards utilize the same supplies, just in different ways. (I figure if you've already got the supplies out, and you have a few extra minutes, why not make two?)

This embossing technique (used on Card #1) is a great way to add visual interest to an otherwise simple card . And since we're trying to get as much bang-for-our-buck in as little time as possible, metallic inks are a fast alternative to heat embossing. (Note: the brand I used dries very quickly; other brands can smudge if not given enough drying time.) Rhinestones in various sizes add a glamorous touch, and a corner rounder punch gives a finished look in a matter of seconds. As an added bonus, I even kept the sentiment "holiday neutral," so the cards can be used for a variety of seasonal events. So, what do you think? Do you have a go-to "on the fly" design?

Card #1
Stamps: SEI "Glitzmas" (sentiment), SEI "Alpine Frost" (snowflake); Ink: Ink It Up! (copper), SEI chalk (charcoal); Accessories: Cuttlebug / Circle Nestabilities, small corner rounder punch, rhinestones

Card #2
Stamps: SEI "Glitzmas" (sentiment, snowflake background), SEI "Alpine Frost" (large snowflake); Ink: Ink It Up! (copper, silver), SEI chalk (charcoal); Accessories: Cuttlebug / Circle Nestabilities, small corner rounder punch, rhinestones, foam dimensionals

Quick Holiday Card

2010-12-13T22:53:00.000+08:00

The stamping goodies I ordered last month finally made it here, so I've been spending lots of time in my craft area over the last few days. I've been planning this card out in my head for weeks, just waiting for the supplies to arrive:

Doesn't that sentiment fit perfectly in that Labels 4 Nestie? I had my fingers crossed that it would, and I wasn't disappointed. This really was so quick to make: I cut and embossed the white label, stamped the sentiment, cut a window out of the plaid layer with the next larger size label die, attached the white label directly to the colored cardfront, and attached the plaid layer with foam dimensionals. Afterwards I decided it needed a little something, so I used a Sharpie to color two clear rhinestones, which I added to the label. A fun holiday card in just a few easy steps!

One thing I've found is if you're going to create a raised window layer from patterned paper, like this one, it's best to first adhere the patterned paper to an identical-sized piece of cardstock, then cut your window. This helps prevent warping, bending or sagging once it's attached on dimensionals. I've learned that one the hard way!

Tonight I'm staying warm with a snuggly throw, some hot coffee and a space heater, knit booties on my feet and my "grandpa sweater" wrapped up tight. The Christmas tree is lit, the apartment is quiet, and I'm listening to the sound of rain and nighttime traffic outside my window... {Happy Sigh} It's a good night.

Card Supplies:

Stamps: TPC Studio "Christmas Phrases;" Ink: Stampin' Up craft (Bravo Burgundy); Paper: DCWV patterned paper, The Paper Studio cardstock; Accessories: Cuttlebug / Labels 4 Nestabilities, rhinestones, Sharpie, foam dimensionals

Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger: All That Glitters

2010-12-13T11:34:00.001+08:00

I'm barely squeaking this in under the deadline for the Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger challenge, All That Glitters. Here's the trigger photo:

And here's my card:

I noticed that the ring had sort of a starburst pattern of rhinestones, which got me thinking of snowflakes, which led to this pattern of rhinestone-accented snowflakes. I stamped my design using two snowflakes from a Pink Paislee set, then added lots of bling. The sentiment is heat embossed with Zing! embossing powder - that stuff is awesome! I considered adding a ribbon, but that took the card in a whole different direction, so I let the simplicity do the talking.

A couple of tips:

This sentiment is actually part of a longer phrase; I simply made a few strategic cuts with an x-acto knife. Since it's a clear stamp, it's super-easy to just line all the pieces back up on my block if I want to use the full phrase. Don't be afraid to perform a little stamp surgery!

You're going to laugh at this one, but it was a "d'oh" moment for me - don't wear colored shirts when photographing rhinestones! In my first batch of photos, the rhinestones kept coming out pink - because they were reflecting my pink shirt. Oops.

This card also qualifies for the Simon Says Stamp Challenge: Christmas (But no Red or Green!)

It's a cold, rainy day today. I really need to run out and get some groceries, but since that would mean literally running out in the rain (no car; too close to take a cab), I'm thinking that ordering in some fried rice for lunch sounds like a much better idea. Thank heavens for delivery!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Pink Paislee "Tinsel Town," TPC STudio "Christmas Phrases;" Ink: SEI chalk (turquoise, charcoal), Versamark; Accessories: Zing! embossing powder (white), small corner rounder punch, rhinestones, foam dimensionals

Moxie Fab Love Challenge

2010-12-10T14:33:00.000+08:00

I made my hubby a card that just so happens to be a perfect fit for the Moxie Fab World Card Creations: Favorite Occasions Week Love Challenge (say that 10 times fast!):

Now, I know that at first glance, this isn't your typical "love" card. But there's a special story behind it. On our first Valentine's Day as a married couple, I was working as a cashier at Walmart (hubby was still in school; I had just graduated). Halfway through my workday, I noticed a small cluster of people gathering at the end of my checkout lane - people I recognized from school. The next thing I know, they're lined up in a semi-circle around me, singing an amazing a cappella version of "You Are My Sunshine." Talk about a show-stopper! It caused quite the little scene, customers and employees alike stopping to watch, while I stood there blushing like mad. Hubby had hired them to come and serenade me at work. Isn't that the sweetest? Later my coworkers told me that they could hear the singing all the way back in the shoe department. Needless to say, hubby became quite the legend at work after that!

To make this card, I embossed a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2" piece of cardstock with a Tim Holtz embossing folder (thanks Amy!), then sponged over the raised areas with ink. I created the sentiment with label tape, then mounted the whole panel on a 4 3/4 x 6" card. Easy peasy! Really, the part that took the longest was carefully sponging the ink. The rest was cake!

Card Supplies:
Ink: Stampin' Up (Summer Sun); Cardstock: DCWV; Accessories: Cuttlebug / Tim Holtz "Rays" embossing folder, Dymo labelmaker, black label tape

Happy Day

2010-12-09T15:07:00.000+08:00

Look what arrived at my door the other day - the blog candy I won from Amy Tsuruta!

It's my first ever blog candy win, and it is chock-full of crafty goodness! Even better was what came with it: an honest-to-goodness made-by ~Amy~ card!

Isn't it fabby? Love all the machine stitching she used. Such a cheery card!

And of course with all those new supplies at my fingertips, I had to whip up a little card of my own:

That birdcage stamp was calling to me the moment I opened the box. I kept it nice and simple; the "chain" and sentiment were stamped directly on the cardfront, while the birdcage was cut out and attached with foam dimensionals. The sentiment seemed a little lackluster on its own, so I added the rhinestones as a final touch. {Happy Sigh} Don't you just love that birdcage? I'm smitten!

Thanks again, Amy, for such a wonderful prize! I can't wait to try out all the other goodies!

Card Supplies
Stamps: Studio G (birdcage), Hero Arts (All Occasion Messages - sentiment), Basic Grey (Aviary - chain); Ink: SEI chalk (cocoa); Accessories: rhinestones, foam dimensionals

It's Always Sunny In Here

2010-12-08T22:04:00.000+08:00

Now this is just too stinkin' cute. I don't think I've ever seen a commercial aimed specifically at scrapbookers before, have you? Talk about a creative bunch!

2 Challenges in 1

2010-12-07T20:44:00.001+08:00

I've got just enough time to squeeze in one more card today; this one qualifies for the Play Date Cafe Challenge PDCC58. Here's the color inspiration pic:

And here's my card:

This also qualifies for the Simplicity OLW31 Challenge, which is to create a one-layer card using a technique or product that got you hooked on stamping. I decided to go with 2-step stamping, since the very first set of stamps I bought was a gorgeous 2-step flower set from Stampin' Up. My cardbase is textured watercolor paper; I used an edge-distresser to give the right-hand edges a faux-Fabriano look. The font combined with the bird image gives this a sort of retro 50s feel, don't you think? This would be an easy card to mass-produce, and it's nice and flat for mailing!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: We R Memory Keepers "2 Step Robin" (Vintage Blue collection), Martha Stewart (sentiment); Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black, Ink It Up! pigment (red); Paper: watercolor; Accessories: edge distresser

Wishing for Snow

2010-12-07T11:44:00.000+08:00

I think this snowy card represents some serious wishful thinking on my part! It finally got down in the 30s last night, but our days are still hovering in the 50s; when I look out my window, I see green trees everywhere. (I'm still trying to figure that one out; they're not fir trees, just regular ol' trees, but they keep their green leaves all winter. It's a little disconcerting for this midwestern girl!) Luckily, it's been just cold enough for the sweet potato vendors to come out with their little wheeled ovens, selling roasted sweet potatoes and corn on the cob along the sidewalk. There's nothing like a piping hot sweet potato on a chilly evening - crinkly, brittle skin like old paper surrounding a creamy, sweet filling - perfect in its simplicity.

P.S.
It wasn't until I was editing the photos that I realized the circle layer looks like a giant snowball. I guess I really do have snow on the brain!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Pink Paislee "Tinsel Town," Ink: Ink It Up! pigment (red); Patterned Paper: Basic Grey "Eskimo Kisses," Hobby Lobby "Christmas 2008" paper pack; Accessories: Cuttlebug / Herringbone embossing folder / Quickutz "Rings" embossing folder / Circle Nestabilities, Martha Stewart tree punch, Dymo labelmaker, woodgrain label tape, corner rounder punch, foam dimensionals

Irony

2010-12-02T13:50:00.000+08:00

I find it a bit ironic that I had to purchase this "made in China" Cricut from a US website which in turn sent it to me here in - China. This thing has racked up more skymiles than most people! Alas, just because something is manufactured in China doesn't mean it's available for sale in China. Luckily, I got it for a song over at Custom Crop's Pink Tuesday sale (even with the international shipping added in I still saved money). This is actually my second Cricut Create; my first one stopped working out of the blue last year. I thought about switching to a Silhouette, but since I've already invested so much in the cartridges, I decided I'd just wait for this year's Black Friday sales to try to score a replacement Cricut on the cheap. Now the hard part is going to be waiting till Christmas to break it out!

Embellish Challenge - Noel

2010-12-01T15:07:00.000+08:00

I thought I'd play along with the Embellish Magazine Holidays Color Challenge, which uses these colors as inspiration:

This is what I came up with:

I had a lot of fun using these colors; not ones I'd usually think to use for holiday cards. But I think they worked well, especially with the homespun feel of the stamp images. Lots of Cuttlebugging on this one - this Herringbone folder has been getting a real workout lately! It's hard to see in the pic (since it's so tiny), but the reindeer has an itty-bitty rhinestone for a nose (I colored it with a Sharpie to match the sentiment ink color). I thought it helped tie the colors together nicely. TFL!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Martha Stewart; Ink: ColorBox pigment "Chestnut," Ink It Up! pigment "red;" Patterned Paper: DCWV; Accessories: Cuttlebug / Herringbone embossing folder / circle Nestabilities; rhinestone, Sharpie, corner rounder punch, foam dimensionals

Decorating (& a Card)

2010-11-30T18:10:00.000+08:00

Hubby and I made a quick trip to Ikea yesterday; I spent the evening putting this together:

They're just two little cheap-y desks (we're talking US$15 each!), but they fit the space perfectly and go with the rest of our dark furniture. Up until now this little nook off of our living room had just been wasted space; I thought it would be nice to make it into a little informal work area. (DH and I have large desks set up in our home office/spare bedroom.) Turns out it's quite cozy!

I also have a quick holiday card to share. This one uses patterned paper from a stack I bought at Hobby Lobby a couple of years ago:

I just love how bright and cheery the paper is. I ended up going with a tall & skinny design; the finished size is 3 1/2 x 8". The letters were cut from dollar store adhesive fun foam with a Cuttlebug alphabet - it slices right through, easy as pie. Makes me wish I had more alphabet dies!

Well, off to finish dinner. We're having curry tonight! Yummo!

Card Supplies:
Patterned Paper: Hobby Lobby "Christmas 2008;" Accessories: adhesive craft foam, Cuttlebug / Red Tag Sale alphabet / circle Nestabilities / Herringbone embossing folder, corner rounder punch, button, foam dimensionals

Thankful

2010-11-28T12:56:00.000+08:00

This Thanksgiving season, I'm thankful for so many things. These are just a few:

VPNs that let me access this blog (and everyone else's!)
International flat-rate envelopes, and the crafty goodies that fit inside them
Western toilets
Eggcrate mattress foam
My own two feet, that have carried me more places than I ever dreamed possible
My husband, Seth, who I fall deeper in love with every day

I hope you've all had a wonderful holiday weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T20:14:00.000+08:00

Hubby and I have had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It's always a bit strange on holidays, as right now we're 14 hours ahead of US Central Standard Time - our Thanksgiving is drawing to a close while our friends and family in the US are still in bed! Today we headed out to the same restaurant as last year for a fabulous three-course meal with turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, veggies...

So, so good. Definitely better than the Thanksgiving meals we've tried at various fancy hotels. And for dessert later on tonight, we have some Starbucks' pecan tarts waiting for us in the kitchen. (Hubby is a southern boy, so it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without some pecan pie!)

Speaking of food, I still haven't told you about that luncheon I went to, have I? First of all, you have to know a little bit about my friend. She's a little ball of energy: always on the go, always on the phone with this person or that person, talks up a storm and never takes no for an answer. She has far greater confidence in my Chinese language ability than she should, and while our conversations always start out nice and slow, just a few sentences in and she's rattling away a mile a minute, while my head is spinning just trying to keep up. So, a few weeks ago, she says she wants to invite me to have lunch on a certain day in November. She says there are going to be a lot of ladies there, and she has a certain number of people she can invite, and she wants me to be her guest, yadda yadda... Now, at this point, she starts to lose me on what the luncheon is actually for. But I tell her sure, sure, I can come; it sounds like fun. A couple of weeks later, my husband is talking with her and tries to get a few more details. He finds out that there are going to be about 200 women there, and it's a luncheon where they're going to demo some health and beauty products. Oh, now I'm starting to get a better picture, I think. I've been to something similar before, where they let you try some innovative skin product, and then try to sell it to you for an arm and a leg. But she's assured him that I'm not obligated to buy anything; it's just for fun. Okay.

So, on the appointed day, I make my way out to the address I've been given. It's a hotel banquet hall; the concierge at the desk tells me to take the escalator upstairs. As I reach the second floor, my stomach sinks. The foyer is crowded with women in sequined gowns, velvets, stilletos... I'm in a casual black dress with a grey pullover sweater and knee-high black boots. Ack! So underdressed! I'm also the only foreigner in a sea of Chinese women. And of course my friend is nowhere to be seen, and isn't answering her phone... After several minutes of standing awkwardly by the entrance while everyone else gives me the once-over, my friend finally appears. She's all decked out in a gorgeous embroidered red qipao with a fur capelet, her gleaming dark hair freshly cut in a '30s bob - the quintessential Shanghai girl. Stunning! (Why, oh why didn't she tell me - or Seth - that this was a dress-up event?)

Once inside the banquet hall, I realize that there is a stage/runway set up - and that they've moved me from my friend's table at the back of the room to a table front and center, right at the end of the runway. Umm... I take my seat between two middle-aged, obviously wealthy Chinese women, whom I've never met. Awkward! Luckily, the food begins coming soon after. What follows is 2 1/2 hours of food, interspersed with entertainment (drummers, acrobats, break dancers) and awards for the host company's top sales-reps. Just as the final dish is (finally) brought to the table, the fashion show begins. (Oh, did I mention that this company sells not just health and beauty products, but a full line of shapewear as well? As in, girdles, thigh slimmers, all forms of Spanx-style garments. See where this is going?) The lights go down, and the models begin to walk the runway - yep, in their shapewear. But this isn't Victoria's Secret - think "flesh-colored, full-coverage, sucks it all in and gives you abs of steel" shapewear. Altogether so NOT what I'm expecting!

The crowning moment (for me) comes as the models are demoing how the shapewear can be worn under activewear (do people really do that?). Six women, strutting down the runway in hoodies, thigh slimmers, and tennis shoes, jauntily carrying badminton rackets, followed by a tall, athletic man with sculpted cheekbones and feathered hair, carrying his own badminton racket and wearing nothing but tennis shoes and a thigh slimmer. It's all I can do not to start giggling out loud.The runway ends right at my table, and he's standing there posing with his badminton racket, turning this way and that - this guy is in Spanx, people! How can he keep a straight face? Somehow I manage to keep it together until it's over - but I laugh the whole way home!

It just goes to show you, when it comes to living overseas, never assume you know what to expect in a given situation - you just might end up spending the day eating roast duck with wealthy Asian women while watching male models strut around in shapewear!

Peaceful Pigeons

2010-11-21T14:43:00.000+08:00

Since switching almost entirely to clear stamps about three years ago, I've somehow managed to only buy a few Christmas/winter sets, mostly small cheap sets like Studio G. How is that possible?! I'm trying to remedy that this year, although I'm afraid my purchases won't reach me in time to do much holiday crafting (I'm having some things sent to my stateside in-laws so they can compile everything into one flat-rate package and send it here). At the moment, I'm making good use of what I've got - these particular stamps were put out by Walmart a couple of Christmases ago; I think they were around $2. At the time, my hubby was traveling around the state on business, and he would stop at various Walmarts trying to find them for me. Yep, he's the best!

I used a square Nestie to emboss the cardfront (following these steps), and left the Nestie in place while I repeatedly stamped the light blue background image. The rest is pretty self-explanatory. I was really pleased with how well these cheap-y stamps worked; I used a white eraser to "prime" the stamps, and had no trouble getting a clean imprint even from the detailed birds. (Oh, and in reference to the title, I know they're not supposed to be pigeons, but "peaceful doves" just doesn't have quite the same ring, now does it? wink )

Next post I'll tell you about my recent "luncheon" experience - it's a doozy!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Walmart; Ink: ColorBox pigment (Robin's Egg), Ink It Up'! pigment (red); Accessories: Cuttlebug / Square Nestabilities, rhinestones, foam dimensionals

Mod Monochrome Holidays

2010-11-20T14:26:00.001+08:00

It's been a crazy-busy week; we had guests in town, which meant lots of eating out and lots of shopping (for the ladies, that is). I did, however, squeeze in time to make this super-quick card using my favorite Slice design card, Fa La La. I cut the reindeer head at 3 1/2", then lightly sponged the edges with ink for a little contrast. I added a rhinestone nose, and attached the head to the cardfront with foam tape. You could whip up a whole set of these in a rainbow of colors in no time flat!

Edited to add: I forgot to mention that to get the cleanest looking cut possible, I actually flipped my cardstock over and cut the "backside" - so in this case, the smoother side was facing up on my glass mat as I cut. After the image was cut, I peeled it off the glass mat, flipped it over, and adhered it so that the textured side was facing out. It helps hide some of the little imperfections that occur in corners as the blade lifts and lowers. Hope that makes sense!

Card Supplies:
Ink: Palette Hybrid (Vintage Cream); Cardstock: American Crafts; Accessories: Making Memories Slice / Fa La La design card, rhinestone, foam tape

Enabler Alert! Wednesday Only!

2010-11-17T20:22:00.000+08:00

For all you Cosmo Cricket lovers out there, check out these digital downloads from Jessica Sprague's One Buck Wednesday:

Jolly By Golly Paper Pack

Jolly By Golly Elements

Yep, that's right- today only you can download these for just $1each! Awesome, huh? What are you waiting for? Go, go now! (I am in no way affiliated with Jessica Sprague or Cosmo Cricket, just an equal opportunity lover of yummy patterned goodness!)

CAS93 - Simple is Best

2010-11-17T17:02:00.000+08:00

Whew! We finally had a day with a few minutes of sun, so I was able to snap some card pics. This one is for the Clean and Simple challenge over on Splitcoaststampers; it's a sketch challenge this week. I pared the sketch down to the bare bones - rotated it 90 degrees, left out the layer, and used the sentiment as the vertical element.

The first thing that popped into my head was a dangling ornament, so I cut a 3 1/2" shape with my Slice, and added a center that I cut and embossed with a Nestie. Stamped the sentiment, adhered the ornament with foam dimensionals, and rounded the bottom corners - easily a 10-minute card (at best). I thought about adding something, maybe a few rhinestones, but then I decided simple was best. Yep, this is definitely putting me in the holiday spirit!

Card Supplies:
Stamp: Studio G; Ink: Ink It Up! pigment; Patterned Paper: DCWV; Accessories: Making Memories Slice / Fa La La design card, Cuttlebug / circle Nestabilities, corner rounder punch, foam dimensionals

The Cream in my Coffee

2010-11-13T19:42:00.000+08:00

Oh my word, have you seen the new coffee set that Papertrey is releasing this month? LOVE! I'm dying to get this set (and the original coordinating set) from PTI. I love the fact that they have a solid "filler" stamp for each outline image, and decorative stamps so you can customize your cups. Plus, they have a die for the cups! Santa, are you listening?

Seeing their projects inspired me to pull out one of my coffee sets (yes, I have a few) and play around. I really like the sayings in this particular set, but as a whole it's only so-so. I had to perform major stamp surgery to remove some obnoxious "steam" lines that were coming out of each cup; I didn't like how they dipped down into the cups. They made it so that if you wanted, say, a green outlined cup, you'd have to have green colored steam. And that just makes me think of toxic coffee, which is never a good association to make.

This is so me and my hubby; I always have the pretty little coffee cup, and he always has the biggest cup he can find. I wasn't even a coffee drinker until after we were married; I finally caved to the peer pressure (his whole family are huge coffee drinkers). Now my day isn't complete without at least one cup of coffee, most times two!

The patterned paper for the blue mug has orange rings around the white polka dots; I used that color for the large mug. The background panel was double-embossed, first with the Herringbone folder, then with the Houndstooth folder. I think it gives it a cozy feel, like a warm afghan or a snuggly sweater. Nothing beats a hot cup of coffee and a fuzzy blanket on a cold morning!

Speaking of coffee, Seth just surprised me with a donut and a cup of coffee from Dunkin' Donuts! Gotta go!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: TPC Studio "Coffee Cafe;" Ink: Stampin' Up craft "Not Quite Navy," ColorBox pigment "Roussillon," "Chestnut;" Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye; Accessories: Cuttlebug, rectangle Nestabilities, Herringbone embossing folder, Houndstooth embossing folder, foam dimensionals

A Funny Story and a Card

2010-11-12T13:52:00.001+08:00

Taking a cab here in China can be quite the adventure; you never know quite what to expect. One day you'll get a driver who has Formula One racing aspirations; another day you'll get a driver who wants to spend the whole ride practicing his English. On yet another day, you might find yourself with a driver who has no idea how to even get you to your destination. The other night my husband was coming home late, and his cab driver happened to be playing a John Denver tape. Now, Chinese love to sing. Karaoke clubs are everywhere. We've even come across people crowded around portable karaoke machines on the sidewalk. It's a serious pastime. So there Seth is, sitting in the backseat of the cab, while the driver is bellowing out the chorus to "Leaving on a Jetplane" in broken English. At first, Seth just listened good-humoredly, occasionally humming a bar or two. But after a few more songs, he and the cabbie were belting out "Country Roads" together at the top of their lungs, flying through the streets of Shanghai. The cabbie proceeded to tell Seth that he LOVES American music, and that Seth is the first American to actually sing with him. He's had a Japanese passenger sing some songs with him, but never an American. He was quite tickled. I tell you, my hubby has the most interesting cab rides!

I also have a quick card to share today. These 2-step stamps from We R Memory Keepers have a cool retro-graphic feel that I just love. (You can see how I used the bird set here.) This one was a simple design that came together pretty quickly - I cut and embossed a white circle with a Nestie, then stamped my images; adhered a piece of patterned paper to an identical-sized piece of cardstock for stability; cut a circle window out of the patterned paper layer with the same circle Nestie; tied on the raffia; attached the patterned paper layer to the cardfront with foam tape; and glued the circle with image into place. I'm trying to use up more of my patterned paper; I've acquired quite the little stash!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: We R Memory Keepers "2 Step Berry" (Vintage Blue collection), Biblical Impressions (verse); Ink: ColorBox pigment "Chestnut," Roussillon;" Patterned Paper: K & Company; Accessories: Cuttlebug, circle Nestabilities, raffia twine, foam dimensionals

Thinking of Fall

2010-11-10T12:49:00.001+08:00

Can you believe Thanksgiving is only two weeks away? I stopped by the import store the other day, and noticed they had gotten their frozen turkeys in. Unfortunately, at almost US$100 for a smallish turkey, it looks like we're going to pass on fixing our own. Another restaurant Thanksgiving it will be!

It struck me the other day how few autumn-themed stamps I actually have. It's strange, considering it's my favorite time of year! I have a few Halloween stamps that I bought last year, but no pumpkins that aren't jack o' lanterns; only two leaf stamps, and not a single Thanksgiving sentiment. What was I thinking?! However, I was looking through some of my older Christmas stamps, and found this:

But wait, that's not really a medallion stamp. That image is actually made up of these three teeny little Martha Stewart stamps:

I was inspired by Betsy Veldman's beautiful card, here. My card is nowhere near as intricate as hers, but I really like the way it turned out. To frame my medallion, I did some cardfront Nestie embossing (Nichole Heady has a great tutorial here.) I added two different sizes of rhinestones (colored with a brown Sharpie) for some extra oomph. Who knew I'd be able to make a fall card with Christmas stamps?

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Martha Stewart "Christmas Tree" (acorn cluster), Martha Stewart "Holiday Accent" (single acorn, starburst), Hero Arts "Everyday Sayings" (sentiment); Ink: ColorBox pigment "Chestnut;" Accessories: Cuttlebug, square Nestabilities, rhinestones, brown Sharpie, foam dimensionals

Damask # 2

2010-11-08T14:14:00.001+08:00

Well, I couldn't resist making one more card for Moxie Fab World's Diggin' on Damask challenge (scroll down to see the first one). Since I already had the basic supplies out, this one came together in a snap!

I cut out my butterfly with that same 3x3 cuttlebug die, this time using an old cereal box for "chipboard." I stamped the butterfly with a damask border and adhered it to my cardfront with foam tape, stamped the sentiment (those Hero Arts sentiment sets really are handy!), added my rhinestones (again, colored with a black Sharpie), and done! This time I left the corners as-is; I felt the clean angles of the font looked best mirrored by the nice sharp edges of the card. Now for the life of me I can't decide which card I like best!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: American Crafts "Thanks" (Letterbox collection), Hero Arts "All Occasion Messages;" Ink: Brilliance "Graphite Black;" Accessories: Cuttlebug / 3x3 butterfly die, cereal box, adhesive rhinestones, black Sharpie, foam dimensionals

Masked Damask

2010-11-08T13:52:00.000+08:00

Have you seen the current challenge over at Moxie Fab World, "Diggin' on Damask?" Damask is one of my favorite patterns to play with, so this challenge was right up my alley! I decided to change things up a bit by using a mask to create a stamped shape on my cardfront, rather than use a shaped piece of patterned paper. I decided a damask butterfly would be elegant but fun:

To make the mask, I used a 3x3 cuttlebug die with some very thin cardstock (if your cardstock is too thick, you'll have a hard time getting a crisp outline when stamping over the edges of the mask).

This particular die has a pair of antennae that I don't really care for; to remedy that, I simply used an x-acto knife to cut a V-shaped notch continuing with the curve of the wings, dissecting the antennae from the rest of the body. After removing the butterfly body, I taped the antennae securely back into the mask, like so:

I used a Zig 2-way glue pen to trace around the backside edges of the butterfly outline and at the four corners, and set aside to dry for a temporary adhesive. I then lined up my mask on my cardfront, made sure all the edges were securely adhered, and started stamping. I stamped the center damask first, then worked out from there. Easy peasy! After I finished stamping my butterfly, I carefully removed the mask, stamped my sentiment (clear stamps make lining things up so easy!), and added two rhinestones for balance. (Here's a secret: I didn't have black rhinestones in the right size, so I used a black Sharpie to color two clear jewels. Shh, don't tell!)

The mask can be saved and reused for future projects. You can add even more depth to your masked image by first sponging inside the mask with a lighter ink, then stamping on top with a darker color. A big impact in just a few easy steps!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Prima "Cantaria," Hero Arts "Everyday Sayings;" Ink: ColorBox pigment "Roussillon," Brilliance "Graphite Black;" Accessories: Cuttlebug / 3x3 Butterfly die, small corner rounder punch, adhesive rhinestones, Zig 2-way glue pen

Vintage Charm

2010-11-07T14:28:00.000+08:00

When I was growing up, my Austrian grandmother always had one of those vintage-style tea towel calendars hanging in her kitchen - the kind with European folk motifs like flowers and cottages and quaint little couples. Always the current year, always clean and crisp. The moment I saw this bold flower stamp, I was immediately reminded of those colorful calendars. Cosmo Cricket papers and a little distress ink add the perfect vintage feel - a fun little homage to bygone days. {Happy Smile}

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Craft Affair by Hampton Art "Fabulous Flowers," TPC Studio (sentiment), Martha Stewart (leaves); Ink: Ink It Up! pigment (red, olive), SEI chalk (cocoa), Ranger distress (Antique Linen); Patterned Paper: Cosmo Cricket "Early Bird;" Accessories: Cuttlebug / rectangle Nestabilities, small corner rounder punch, foam dimensionals

Fun with Cork

2010-11-06T14:34:00.000+08:00

For months now, I've been wanting to try making my own cork diecuts - but China's lack of craft stores put a bit of a damper on that idea. I finally found a set of cork placemats at Ikea - they looked a little thick, but I figured it was worth a shot. It worked! I cut off a small strip with scissors, then ran it through my cuttlebug with a 2x2 cuttlebug die (between two B plates). It cut like butter on the very first pass!

Don't those leaves look great? I love it when an idea works out.

On a side note, it's getting harder and harder to find diet coke around here! My friend down in Shenzhen (a city in southern China) said they've phased it out completely there and replaced it all with coke zero - I'm afraid that's what they're doing here. Coke zero's just not the same!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts "All Occasion Messages;" Ink: Stampin' Up craft "Close to Cocoa;" Patterned Paper: Miss Elizabeth (Dollar Tree); Accessories: Cuttlebug / Forest Branches embossing folder / 2x2 Leaves die, corkboard, raffia, foam dimensionals

Belated Boo & Comfort Foods

2010-11-04T17:35:00.000+08:00

As I was putting away my Halloween decorations (all two of them, lol), I realized I had never shared this little "Boo" banner. I actually made it last year, but somehow forgot to take pictures till now. I cut the base from a cardboard box using an exacto-knife and a metal ruler; the letters were cut from kraft cardstock with my Slice. To make the letters sturdier, I cut out two of each and glued them together. The layers were adhered using lots of foam tape for extra dimension. I really went to town with my distress inks on this one; I don't do that often, but I have to say it was a lot of fun!

Yesterday I had salisbury steak on the brain. Back when I was in high school, every Thursday was "salisbury steak day" in the cafeteria - you either loved it or hated it, and it gained quite the cult following. To me it became one of my favorite comfort foods, especially in the fall - that rich gravy, a side of creamy mashed potatoes... heaven. Today at lunch I was still craving it. Alas, I didn't have the ingredients on hand to make my own - but then it hit me: Swedish meatballs might do the trick! And Ikea just so happens to have a tasty little Swedish meatball plate with mashed potatoes and gravy and a dollop of lingonberry sauce on the side. I wouldn't even have to cook! So off to Ikea we went. Oh my, it was good. So good that I even brought home a bag of frozen meatballs and a jar of lingonberry jam.

Yum.

Project Supplies:

Stamps: Studio G (spiderweb); Ink: Ranger Distress Ink (Walnut Stain, Tea Dye, Black Soot), black pigment; Accessories: cardboard, Cuttlebug / Distressed Stripes embossing folder / Rectangle Nestabilities, Making Memories Slice / Just Chillin' Teen design card, Crop-A-Dile, ribbon, foam dimensionals

World Expo 2010

2010-11-02T17:15:00.000+08:00

We finally made it out to see the World Expo before it ended; boy was it crowded! Over 760,000 visitors that day. The blue character below is Haibao (海宝), the mascot of the 2010 World Expo. His name means "treasure of the sea." If you look closely, you'll see that he resembles the Chinese character for "person": 人.

(Image from Expo2010.cn)

The Expo was divided into two sections, one on each side of the river; we kept to the west side, which was comprised of Asian/Middle Eastern countries' pavilions. The lines to get into each pavilion were incredibly long; some of the more popular pavilions had waits of over 7 hours! We managed to visit two: the China Pavilion and the Israel Pavilion. At the Israel Pavilion (one of the shorter waits) we stood in line for over an hour and a half. When we finally got inside, we were corralled into a planetarium-like room, to be greeted with a (very) brief video presentation extolling the country's various technological innovations. Then the lights came back up, an exit door was opened, and back outside we all went. Um, yeah, not exactly what we were expecting.

This is the line we waited in for the China Pavilion. We were all headed towards the opening in the back center of the picture, between the blue mural on the left and the white umbrella on the right. We had already moved quite a bit forward in line when I took this picture - there were scores more people behind us. It was a long line.

The China Pavilion (below) is one of the few structures that will be kept permanently after the end of the Expo. Inside were intricate walk-through exhibits from each of China's twenty-two provinces, which visitors could view at their own leisure. Definitely worth the time spent waiting in line.

We ended the day with some Sri Lankan street food, which was quite tasty! We tried fish balls, marinated chicken wings, and samosas. Unfortunately, it was dark by the time we ate (and we were sitting outside), so I didn't get any pics. Just believe me when I say it was all really good!

Unfortunately, there was no time to see even half of what we would have liked. After spending the majority of the day doing nothing but stand in line with crowds of people, we were ready for some peace and quiet. Around 6 o'clock we called it a day and crowded onto the metro (with what seemed like half the city) to make our slow way home. All in all, I think the day was summed up quite perfectly by the saying going around Shanghai, "不去世博会后悔, 去了世博后悔一辈子!" which roughly translated means, "If you don't go to the Expo, you'll regret it; if you go to the Expo, you'll regret it even more!"

Moxie Fab World: Tuesday Trigger

2010-10-30T11:26:00.000+08:00

I may have mentioned, somewhere along the way, that fall is my favorite time of year. The weather, the smells, the decorations, the clothes... oh how I love a soft, cozy sweater! So when I saw that this week's Tuesday Trigger over at Moxie Fab World was this gorgeous Anthropologie sweater, you know I had to play along!

The texture caught my eye right away, and I wanted my card to have a similar appeal. I also wanted to amp up the "autumn" feel, as well as the homemade-chic details. A slight tweak of the colors, the felicitous discovery of the PERFECT sentiment, and here we are - all the things I love about fall in paper form:

I had a light-bulb moment by embossing my cardstock with two different embossing folders - first with a Cuttlebug "Herringbone" folder, followed by Quickutz "Rings." I was really pleased with the way it turned out - I was afraid too much of the detail would get flattened by the second embossing, but it held up pretty well!

The felt leaf was cut using a Cuttlebug 2x2 die, and the window and label were cut with Labels 9 Nesties. I have to say, this has turned out to be one of my favorite fall cards yet!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts "Everyday Sayings;" Ink: SEI "Cocoa" chalk ink, Stampin' Up "Creamy Caramel;" Accessories: Cuttlebug, Cuttlebug 2x2 Leaf die, Cuttlebug "Herringbone" embossing folder, Quickutz "Rings" embossing folder, Labels 9 Nestabilities, felt, corner rounder punch, button, embroidery floss, foam dimensionals

Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Pumpkins!

2010-10-28T21:13:00.001+08:00

The days here have turned deliciously chilly, the kind of weather that simply must be accompanied by lots of hot coffee and pumpkin bread. I broke out the can of Libby's pumpkin puree I've been hoarding since my last trip to Hong Kong; oh my, was it ever worth it! (Fun Fact: Over 80% of the world's pumpkin is canned at a factory 10 miles away from my Illinois hometown!)

Continuing with the pumpkin theme, I came up with this fun little trio of cards. The jack'o'lantern stamps are all from last year's Studio G fall release; I combined them with some SEI polka dot stamps and an Ellison tag die to create my own little Halloween tags. Here's a closeup of card #1:

Card 1 Supplies:
Stamps: Studio G (pumpkins, sentiment), SEI "Mimosa" (polka dots); Ink: black pigment, Brilliance Graphite Black, Ranger Tea Dye distress; Paper: My Mind's Eye; Accessories: Cuttlebug, Swirls embossing folder, Ellison Scallop Tags die, corner rounder punch, Dymo labelmaker, foam dimensionals

Card #2:

It's hard to see in this picture, but the black layer under the tag was stamped with small polka dots using black pigment ink. The keyhole shape was created by centering a 2" strip of cardstock inside a circle nestie and cutting.

Card 2 Supplies:
Stamps: Studio G (pumpkin), SEI "Mimosa" (polka dots, small and large); Ink: black pigment, Ranger Tea Dye distress; Paper: My Mind's Eye; Accessories: Cuttlebug, Swirls embossing folder, Ellison Scallop Tags die, Circle Nestabilities, corner rounder punch, foam dimensionals

Card #3:

Card 3 Supplies:
Stamps: Studio G (pumpkin), SEI "Mimosa" (polka dots), Making Memories "Spellbound" (sentiment); Ink: black pigment, Ranger Tea Dye distress; Paper: My Mind's Eye; Accessories: Cuttlebug, Swirls embossing folder, Ellison Scallop Tags die, corner rounder punch, foam dimensionals

Even though I used the same basic supplies for each card, I was able to create three very different looks. So fun!

Ready for Fall

2010-10-18T14:45:00.003+08:00

Whew! I'm a teensy bit tired. I was away Wed-Fri on a spur-of-the-moment solo trip to visit some friends in another part of the country. Seeing them was great, but the travel always wipes me out! My flight home ended up getting delayed almost three hours, made even worse by the fact that we boarded the plane on schedule and then proceeded to sit there for 2 1/2 hours waiting for takeoff clearance. But in the airline's favor, the drink carts came out right away, followed soon after by our meal (Chinese airlines still provide in-flight meals), which made the wait tolerable. Not to mention the fact that my seat-mate and I had the chance to become very well acquainted!

The rest of the weekend was spent in comfy clothes, watching dvd episodes of NCIS, eating taco chowder, and crafting. I'm a pretty slow papercrafter, but I managed to finish two cards plus brainstorm designs for a few more. This particular card all started with the felt leaf, cut with my Cuttlebug. {I've found that when cutting felt with my Cuttlebug, whether with Provocraft dies or Nestabilities, adding a layer of cardstock behind the felt (die, then felt, then cardstock) helps to ensure a clean cut.} After cutting my leaf, I chose a nice fall patterned paper, then used various Nesties to cut my layering pieces. The white circle was a little stark on its own, so I added some stamping and light distressing. The leaf was attached using glue dots, and the circle layers were adhered with foam dimensionals.

Side note: Provocraft offered the same basic leaf dies in a set of four 2x2 dies (one leaf per square) or a set of two 2x6 dies; I opted for the 2x2 dies which leave a nice, even, "negative die" that can be used on other projects. So don't be surprised to see that negative piece showing up soon!

I'm off to set out a few more fall decorations around the house. Have I mentioned this is my favorite time of year?

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Basic Grey "Fauna;" Ink: SEI chalk "cocoa," Ranger "Tea Dye;" Paper: My Mind's Eye, kraft; Accessories: Cuttlebug, Cuttlebug leaves 2x2 dies, Labels 9 Nestabilities, Circle Nestabilities, felt, foam dimensionals, corner rounder punch

Long Time No Post...

2010-10-11T20:14:00.000+08:00

So apparently I just took a 3-month hiatus from the ol' blog. Oops! I guess I just needed a bit of a break from all things bloggy/crafty. I finally decided that my desk had been tidy for far too long and pulled out a few stamps. A little music on the ipod, a cold diet coke, and 20 minutes later this little card was sitting on my desk. It feels good to be crafting again!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Prima Marketing "Cantaria" (small damask flourish), Studio G (sentiment); Ink: Brilliance "Graphite Black," ColorBox pigment "Amber;" Accessories: Corner rounder punch (small), adhesive rhinestones (black, clear), foam dimensionals

Stars & Stripes Forever

2010-07-02T19:46:00.001+08:00

I can't believe it's already July! Time is just whizzing by. It's this time of year that Seth and I inevitably feel a smidgen of homesickness, thinking about all the barbecues and fireworks displays and lake parties with friends we'll be missing out on. My mother-in-law makes this to-die-for potato salad that goes perfectly with a nice piece of bbq chicken breast... My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

In honor of this weekend's holiday, I broke out a new mini stamp set from We R Memory Keepers. I stamped the flag once in red, then again in blue, and paper pieced it all together. A toothpick made the perfect flag pole, and some Nesties embossing finished it up nicely (technique described here). It's a very simple design (I didn't even add a sentiment), but I like how it makes the flag pop.

To all my American friends out there, I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: We R Memory Keepers "Old Glory;" Ink: Ink It Up!; Accessories: Cuttlebug, rectangle Nestabilities, toothpick, foam dimensionals

Stretching Myself

2010-07-01T17:07:00.001+08:00

Summer has really hit Shanghai - hot and humid. They're not kidding when they call it one of the "seven furnaces" of China! Surprisingly, we haven't been running our air conditioner all that much, but I'm sure that will change as the summer progresses. Funny story: when Seth went to pay the electric bill the other day, the girl in the office told him (with more than a touch of surprise) that our bill was "like a Chinese person's" - meaning that usually we foreigners have crazy high electric bills in comparison to the general population, due to our constant running of the air conditioner, tv, computer, etc., etc. I told him to just wait till next month, when it's really hot!

I finally got a little crafting time in yesterday. I decided to go for a more eclectic look this time. I'm always drooling over cards that are more "scrappy" in nature - bits and bobs put together to form a look that is multi-dimensional, textural, and colorful, but still with an overall feel of minimalism. So I thought I'd give it a try. Since I don't have any pre-made labels, dimensional stickers, or the like in my stash (crazy, I know), I had to come up with my own embellishments. Thank goodness for my trusty Cuttlebug! The result is still pretty conservative, but for a first try I'm pretty pleased. Definitely a style I want to try again.

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Studio G; Ink: SEI Carcoal, Ranger Antique Linen distress ink; Paper: My Mind's Eye (lime polka dots), Amy Butler (gray/lime floral); Accessories: Cuttlebug, Provocraft circle frame die, Provocraft butterfly die, small corner rounder punch, tag, rhinestones, brad, foam dimensionals

Inspiration

2010-06-23T15:50:00.002+08:00

While browsing the internet the other day, I stumbled across MaeMae Paperie's lovely blog. Featuring modern, custom stationery and invitations, the blog is chock-full of gorgeous eye candy. I couldn't help but be inspired by this set in particular (more pics here):

Isn't it fabulous? I kid you not, I gasped when I saw it. Now, I'm not normally much of a purple girl, but this combo of purple and orange looked so fresh, I immediately pulled out some stamps and got to work. Here's my version:

I used my new SEI stamps again - the 2-step flowers were a perfect fit. I didn't have any jewels the right color, so I used two different sharpies to color clear rhinestones. I went with a "congratulations" sentiment in keeping with the wedding theme, but this could really be used for any number of happy occasions. I'm surprised just how much I'm loving these colors together, and I'm sure I'll be using this combo again soon!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: SEI "Mimosa," Anna Griffin "Darcey" (sentiment); Ink: Ink It Up lavender, orange, SEI charcoal; Paper: watercolor paper, American Crafts cs; Accessories: corner rounder punch, foam dimensionals, rhinestones, sharpies

I Hate Shopping...

2010-06-22T20:55:00.000+08:00

Grocery shopping, that is! It can be such an ordeal here. Luckily, we live within walking distance of a really good grocery store, so at least we don't have to stand in line waiting for a cab afterwards with all of our bags (like we did at our old apartment). On the flip side, that means we have to carry all of our stuff home. When you only do your shopping once every couple of weeks, those bags get heavy! I know I should try to adapt to the Asian way of grocery shopping, buying only what we need for a day or two. But the store is always so crowded, with people jostling, blocking aisles with their carts, pushing to get their vegetables weighed, not to mention the sloooow checkout lines - I just can't bring myself to make that a daily event. The one saving grace of the whole thing is stopping by Curry House Coco for some fab Japanese curry. That stuff is good enough to (almost) make me overlook the rest. I swear, I think I could eat there every day!

Here's something else that makes me happy, something I whipped up super-quick (but totally makes me smile). Seth thinks it's funny when I chuckle at my own cards.

Now, I'm sure someone may be wondering about the lack of punctuation (the editor in me had a hard time leaving it like this), but would you believe none of the disks for my lablemaker have punctuation? I don't have any of those cute little letter stickers everyone is using, so I just went with what I had (or didn't have, in this case). I think it works. Besides, who can resist a combo of colored woodgrain, a funky birdhouse, and labeltape?

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts "Designer Woodgrain," Basic Grey "Aviary;" Ink: SEI "Cumquats," Brillance "Graphite Black;" Accessories: Dymo labelmaker, black labeltape

Pear-fect

2010-06-18T15:48:00.001+08:00

I've had this pear cut out for months; I had a design for it in mind, but for some reason every time I went to use it I ended up making something else entirely. Today I was having some mojo trouble, so I got out my box of "pieces" and decided it was time to finally use the pear. In just a few minutes, I whipped up this card by adding a circle nestie, an embossing folder, some yummy woodgrain label tape, and a corner rounder punch. The hardest part was gluing down those little seeds!

Can I just say how much I love this pear? Of course, it makes me want to cut out all the other fab designs on that cartridge (there's a cute apple that would make another great card), but alas, my Cricut Create is deader than a doornail. I think I used it a total of ten times (maybe) before it just quit working. I've e-mailed them, done the reset thing - no go. I'm afraid the international shipping costs to send it in for repair would be outrageous; I'm considering just getting a Silhouette SD instead. I actually like their images better, and from what I've seen the cuts are cleaner, too. Plus, no more messing with cartridges - just buy the images you like. My birthday is coming up in a few months (hint, hint - just in case you happen to read this, honey!)

Card Supplies:
Cricut, Home Accents cartridge, Cuttlebug, Circle Nestabilities, Quickutz Polka Dots (large) embossing folder, corner rounder punch, Dymo labelmaker, woodgrain label tape, foam dimensionals

CAS71 - Beecause

2010-06-15T16:27:00.000+08:00

The SEI love continues with my latest card, created for this week's Splitcoaststampers CAS (Clean And Simple) Challenge: Things That Fly. I combined images from two different SEI sets for this one: the bee from Juliette, and the bracket frame and dots from Bridgeport. (Don't those dots remind you of honeycomb?) To create the layered label, I stamped the frame onto the backside of the yellow patterned paper and trimmed, leaving just the center, then stamped the frame again onto cream cardstock, this time trimming around the whole frame. The rest of the card came together with some simple stamping, foam dimensionals, and a small corner rounder punch. I've been using that punch a lot lately! I like how it gives a more subtle look than my regular corner rounder punch.

Well, I'm off to enjoy some English tv - we broke down yesterday and finally paid to have the satellite turned on. The dish came with the apartment, so we figured we may as well use it. And it's cheaper than the cable package offered through our apartment complex. I've got my Discovery and National Geographic channels, the mister has his news and sports - yep, life is good!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: SEI Bridgeport, Juliette; Hero Arts All Occasion Messages (sentiment); Ink: SEI Charcoal, My Mind's Eye Sundress palette, Brilliance Graphite Black; Patterned Paper: Pink Paislee Queen Bee; Accessories: small corner rounder punch, foam dimensionals

Mimosa Flowers

2010-06-14T23:21:00.001+08:00

You know, SEI stamps are really growing on me. I like how interactive the elements in each set are - you can get a lot of different looks with just a few stamps. And what can I say, I'm a sucker for a good deal - their sets are all under $10! This particular set has an assortment of flowers, two sizes of polka dots, and a couple of sentiments. Here I used the largest flower in the set (stamped a total of four times, cut to different sizes for layering) and the small polka dots. I love those polka dots! So easy to line up. See that little Labels 9 Nestie I snuck in there? This one was the perfect size for a little PTI sentiment. I can tell these dies are going to get a lot of use!

On a totally unrelated topic, did you know you can "bake" potatoes in the crockpot? It's so easy! Just pierce your potatoes with a fork, put in the crockpot (I stand them on end like a miniature Stonehenge), and cook on high for 3-4 hours (low 6-8). They come out perfectly "baked," and you don't have to heat up your whole kitchen by using the oven. Perfect for summer!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: SEI Mimosa, PTI Mixed Messages; Ink: SEI Bordeaux, Charcoal; My Mind's Eye "Sundress;" Accessories: Cuttlebug, Labels 9 Nestabilities, small corner rounder punch, foam dimensionals, rhinestones

On Life and Chinese Sandwiches

2010-06-10T15:58:00.001+08:00

This is a Chinese sandwich. I bought it from the convenience store by our house. I'm not sure what possessed me to try such a thing, but I was feeling adventurous that day. It's comprised of bread, cheese, more bread, a breaded pork(?) patty, still more bread, mashed potatoes with carrots, and yet another slice of bread. (Carb overload, anyone?) It actually doesn't taste that bad, once you wrap your head around the fact that yes, those are mashed potatoes with carrots on a sandwich. But it doesn't necessarily fit the bill if you're craving a nice shaved turkey deli sandwich with tomatoes and mayo on whole wheat bread, kwim?

In some ways, this sandwich is a good reference for how I've been feeling lately. We live in an amazing city, one of the largest in the world. The culture is intriguing, the language is fascinating, and each time you walk out your door you never know exactly what might happen. Sometimes I compare life here to that old computer game, Myst, where you were plunked down in an unknown world and your mission was to wander around interacting with the environment, pulling levers and deciphering symbols, attempting to put the pieces together and figure out just how that new world "worked." I loved that game. But the nice thing about that game was that you could hit "save," turn off your computer, and return immediately to the safe, predictable world that you were accustomed to. No more struggling to figure out what words were being said, no wondering what behavior was expected or discouraged in a given situation, no guessing whether or not a sandwich with breaded pork and mashed potatoes with carrots would be a pleasant surprise or an epic fail. Some days I wish I could just put the China game on pause for a day or two - take a drive through our hometown in my Suzuki SUV; go shopping at Target or Michaels or even just a plain old Walmart. Listen to American music on the radio, or watch some English television that isn't in dvd format. Have a sandwich and a freshly baked cookie at Panera. But only for a day or two, because I know all too well that I would soon miss our China adventures. And tomorrow, if you dared me to buy the mystery meat and egg salad sandwich sitting on the shelf next to the takeaway sushi, I just might do it.

Rainy Polka-Dot Day

2010-06-09T14:10:00.000+08:00

Grr - this one just did not want to be photographed! IRL, the flower is a deeper, more reddish pink that matches the polka dot paper, and the green is a little less in-your-face. Just trust me when I say this card is much cuter in person. : ) To make the ruffled "ribbon," I crumpled up a strip of lightweight paper until it was soft and pliable, put a piece of double-sided tape across the embossed cardstock, and attached the crumpled paper strip, wrapping the paper around the handle of my paper piercing tool to form the three loops on the left. By the way, see those embossed polka dots? That's the new Cuttlebug folder that just came out. I think it's going to be a new favorite!

I was thinking about going to Ikea today, but it's raining, which means "nearly impossible to find a cab" weather, so I think I'll wait. I hope I don't have to put it off too long - their yummy dark chocolate and almond cake is calling my name!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Basic Grey "Beta" stamp; Ink: SEI "Bordeaux," ColorBox "Citrine;" Accessories: Cuttlebug, Seeing Spots embossing folder, rectangle Nestabilities, rhinestone, foam dimensionals

Trying New Things

2010-06-04T21:07:00.000+08:00

A few weeks ago we celebrated our one-year anniversary in this apartment, which is a big deal because for the first time in the history of our marriage we've hit the one-year mark without any plans to move elsewhere. From the get-go, we've always felt the urge for new scenery, new surroundings, every time that one-year lease came up. Sometimes it was a little move down the block, or to the next state, or halfway around the world... We certainly haven't been too keen on being tied down! But now that we're in a more permanent state of mind, it's had me thinking a lot about what "home" really means. And I really want to document my feelings somehow. So I've finally decided to take the plunge and try out my first scrapjournal. I'm easing into it with this downloadable kit from House of 3 - I just love the images! They just happen to be offering 40% off all their downloadables this weekend, so I figured I may as well give it a shot. Wish me luck!

Oh, and since we're on the topic of home, I found this pic of our very first apartment in China, back in 2004.

That was us on the bottom right. It was small, and had some not-so-lovely odors from the bathroom pipes, and a teeny tiny rat problem. The problem, not the rats. The rats were huge. Well, actually the problem wasn't all that teeny either. But we were just so happy to finally be in China, that it really didn't matter. Except for that rat problem. That was bad. They ate my birthday cake. And one ran around my living room while I chased it with a broom. Those sheets of sticky glue paper that they sell to catch rats? They work great - except that then you're left with a giant live rat stuck to a piece of paper that you have to now somehow pick up and take outside. Did you know that rats can hiss like a cat? Ask me how I know this. Wait, where was I? Oh, yeah, this was our first China apartment, and we loved it. But we loved the next (rat-free) one even more!

A Lovely Day

2010-06-02T18:41:00.000+08:00

I am having so much fun with my new craft supplies! I really miss being able to shop at brick and mortar craft stores, but I have to admit, it's a lot of fun to get a package of goodies in the mail. Kind of like a mini Christmas. Today I used another of my new stamp sets, Dear Lizzy "Whistle." I LOVE the flower in this set - it just begs to be layered with dimensionals!

I stamped the flower twice on pink cardstock, adding a houndstooth pattern stamp to one flower, then stamped the flower again on green cardstock. Next, I cut out the flowers: green flower - entire flower; pink houndstooth flower - without leaves; plain pink flower - center only. I distressed the edges of the layers with scissors, swiped the edges of the pink layers with cream ink, and added some detailing to the flower center with a white gel pen. Then I adhered the layers together with foam dimensionals. The scalloped square is cut from felt using my Cuttlebug and Nesties (I layered a piece of cereal box beneath the felt to help the die cut all the way through). The rest is pretty self-explanatory! I chose not to add a sentiment, as I felt this particular card could be used for multiple occasions. I just love how cheery it is!

Well, getting ready to go grab a coffee with my hubby. The perfect ending to a lovely day!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: American Crafts Dear Lizzy "Whistle," Hero Arts "Houndstooth Background;" Ink: ColorBox "Rose Coral" chalk, SEI "Ivy," PTI "Vintage Cream;" Patterned Paper: DCWV; Accessories: Cuttlebug, Scallop Square Nestabilities, felt, Signo white gel pen, rhinestones, foam dimensionals

The Evolution of a Card

2010-06-01T17:50:00.000+08:00

Over the weekend, I was able to browse through Paper Crafts "Go To Sketches," which got the old creative juices flowing. I decided I wanted to try the sketch on page 24 - it seemed pretty straightforward, and I thought my new Dear Lizzy stamps would be a great fit. Well let me tell you, this one gave me fits! First, I thought I'd do a mix of stamping directly on the cardfront with one or two circle-punched images adhered with dimensionals. Then, I tried all circle-punched images, some popped up, others adhered flat to the cardfront. When that still didn't look right, I decided to emboss the cardfront, then add the punched circles. I fiddled and fiddled with this thing, and this is what I ended up with:

(The more I look at it, the more "hot mess" comes to mind, lol!) I really wasn't happy with it, but it was late and my bed was calling. Unfortunately, it didn't look any better in the light of day, so I decided to just start over from scratch:

Ah, that looks much better! So much easier on the eyes: cleaner, crisper, but still visually interesting. I used my circle Nestabilities with my Cuttlebug to cut circles in a piece of 3 5/8 x 5" cardstock, following the sketch for placement. To stamp my images, I used temporary adhesive to attach the circle panel directly to the cardfront, masking off the edges of the two partial circles with post-its. After everything was stamped, I removed the circle panel and re-attached it using foam dimensionals. For the scalloped sentiment strip, I punched both sides of a 1 1/8 x 3 5/8" strip with an edger punch, then stamped the sentiment - easy peasy! Popped the sentiment strip up on foam dimensionals, added rhinestones to the stamped images, and voila!

Now, my first instinct was to just act like the first card never existed, and only show pics of the second card. But then I figured, hey, why not show how I got from one to the other? So, in the interest of full disclosure, there you have it - the good, the bad, and the not-quite ugly. Hopefully someone will get a kick out of it!

Card Supplies:

1) Stamps: American Crafts Dear Lizzy "Warble," Hero Arts "All Occasion Messages;" Ink: SEI Bordeaux, Cumquats, Ivy; Brilliance Graphite Black; Accessories: circle punches, EK Success Open Scallop edger punch, Cuttlebug, Quickutz Polka Dots (Large) embossing folder, corner rounder punch, rhinestones, foam dimensionals (varying widths)

2) Stamps: American Crafts Dear Lizzy "Warble," Hero Arts "All Occasion Messages;" Ink: SEI Bordeaux, Cumquats; ColorBox Chestnut; Accessories: Cuttlebug, Circle Nestabilities, EK Success Open Scallop edger punch, foam dimensionals, rhinestones

New Crafting Goodies

2010-05-27T12:27:00.001+08:00

So who was I kidding? Of course I couldn't resist all those wonderful new goodies waiting for me in that box. The temptation was too strong! So far my favorite has to be this 2-step bird stamp from We R Memory Keepers:

LOVE it! And how about that new embossing folder? Such a fabulously mod design. I can't wait to dig into the rest!

I was inspired by this week's CAS challenge over on Splitcoaststampers, which is a Summer Theme challenge. I think this is nice and summery, don't you?

As you can probably tell, I haven't been able to get my DSLR fixed. I'm trying to make do with my ancient point-and-shoot, but the picture quality is pretty shoddy (I bought it in 2003 AFTER it had been out a year or so, lol). Hopefully soon I'll have a chance to track down a camera repair shop!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: We R Memory Keepers "Vintage Blue - Robin," American Crafts "Large Sentiments;" Ink: SEI Charcoal, ColorBox "Robin's Egg;" Accessories: Cuttlebug / Quickutz Retro Squares embossing folder, raffia, foam dimensionals

"Thank You"

2010-05-26T15:45:00.001+08:00

Today I've got card #3 to share with you (didn't I tell you I was on a roll with this new digikit?):

Again, I embossed the cardfront using an adaption of Nichole Heady's instructions (using 2 tan mats instead of 1 tan mat + cardstock shim). After that, I punched 3 squares and attached them to the cardfront as following: dark gray square - roller adhesive, flat to cardfront; yellow square - thin foam tape; light gray square - foam dimensionals (about twice as thick as the foam tape). Each square ends up a little higher off the card than the one to the left of it. To finish, I stamped my sentiment in the lower left corner. Another quick and easy card!

Right now I'm supposed to be cleaning (we've got company coming over this weekend), but wouldn't you know, my package of crafting goodies came early! So now I'm torn: do I put away the new supplies till Monday and go clean the kitchen, or just dive in (undoing all the craft-room tidying I just did in the process)? What's a girl to do?

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts "All Occasion Messages;" Ink: My Mind's Eye "Natural" palette; Paper: Songbird Avenue "Metro" digikit; Accessories: square punch, Cuttlebug / Rectangle Nestabilities, foam tape, foam dimensionals

"Just for You"

2010-05-25T12:39:00.002+08:00

Here's card #2 from my weekend crafting spree:

I modified a sketch from Card Creations "Quick & Easy" Volume 2 (p. 14). Pretty straightforward - punch 12 circles from patterned paper (more of that fab "Metro" digikit), attach to cardfront with foam dimensionals; stamp sentiment on cardstock, trim, and adhere to circles using very thin foam tape (for slight dimension). So easy to put together!

Right now we're in the process of getting our visas renewed; luckily we have someone doing a good portion of the footwork for us, so we shouldn't have to trek all over the city multiple times like last year. Unfortunately, it means that for the next week or so we don't have any official papers to carry with us, and with so many visitors here for the World Expo they've been reminding everyone to carry passports/IDs at all times. At times they even do random checks on the street, in subway stations, etc. We've never been stopped, but I'll still feel a lot better once we have our papers back.

In other news, I'm waiting (not so) patiently for a package of crafting goodies from the States. I'll be getting a copy of Go-To Sketches; embossing folders; Labels 9 Nesties; stamps from SEI, American Crafts, Studio G, Basic Grey, and We R Memory Keepers; ink; a new edger punch... I'm going to be one happy crafter! Some of this stuff I ordered back in March, so it's been agonizing waiting for it to get here. My inlaws were sweet enough to put it all together in one package and send it, along with some of our mail (we use them as our permanent Stateside address). They put it in the mail last week, so we should be getting it in the next several days. I have to say, though, as much as I love getting packages in the mail, I really miss being able to shop at a real brick & mortar store. Think I could convince Michaels or Archivers to open up a store here in China?

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts "All Occasion Messages;" Ink: My Mind's Eye "Natural" palette; Paper: Songbird Avenue "Metro" digikit; Accessories: 3/4" circle punch, foam dimensionals, foam tape

"Hello"

2010-05-24T21:32:00.000+08:00

I've been playing around with the digi-kit I mentioned a few days ago; it really gave my mojo a jolt! I made a little series of coordinating cards; here's the first one:

As you can see, I put my Nesties to good use on this card. I tweaked the instructions for the embossed cardfront from this post on Nichole Heady's blog. (Instead of one tan mat plus a cardstock shim, I just used two tan mats. Also, I've found it helps to use a couple of tiny pieces of tape to hold the die in place, otherwise you'll end up with a crooked imprint - trust me on this one!). The yellow layer was cut and embossed with a Nestie as well. For the label, I first stamped the label outline, followed by the sentiment, both with gray ink; then used a light yellow ink to fill in the label with flourishes. Last but not least, I added a tiny rhinestone to the flower inside the O. Each layer is attached using foam dimensionals for a little extra "pop." I made this card with a very special friend in mind - just a little something to brighten her day!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Inkadinkado "Maison Frames" (label outline), American Crafts "Enjoy" (sentiment, flourish); Ink: My Mind's Eye "Natural" pigment palette, "Sundress" pigment palette; Paper: Songbird Avenue "Metro" digikit; Accessories: Cuttlebug / Rectangle Nestabilities, adhesive rhinestone, foam dimensionals

Digi-Scrapping for a Cause

2010-05-21T17:35:00.001+08:00

I don't know about you, but I'm always intrigued by crafters who are able to use their creativity to make a difference in the world. Last night I was doing some blog-hopping, and I stumbled across a digi-scrapbooking site called Songbird Avenue. Each month they offer a limited-time $8 digikit, and the proceeds go to support different charities chosen by the designers. Just how much actually goes to the charities? $7.47 from each kit! That's pretty awesome, if you ask me. This month's kit caught my eye right away - chic grays and yellows with a nice graphic punch. Isn't it yummy?

What really cinched it (for me) is when I found out that this month's selected charity is based out of our (stateside) hometown (the founder is a close friend of dh's family). They provide seminars, retreats, resources, etc. for victims of abuse, as well as training for those who work with abuse victims - I can vouch that it's definitely a worthy cause. It's really a win-win situation: you get a great-looking digikit, and 93% of your money goes directly to charity! This kit will only be available till the end of the month, so head on over to and check it out!

(Now, I want to add that I am in no way affiliated with Songbird Avenue - I just think they've got an awesome platform going and thought I'd spread the word!)

Ta Ta

2010-05-17T16:34:00.000+08:00

I left this little card for Seth when I went on my trip earlier this month. I hid it by his computer so that I could call him after I left and tell him where to look for it - and then promptly forgot all about it. So, he didn't actually get the card until the day after I got back from my trip. Hey, it's the thought that counts, right?

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Studio Calico "Typeset," Hero Arts "All Occasion Messages;" Ink: My Mind's Eye pigment

One Year... and Counting!

2010-05-15T10:33:00.000+08:00

Yesterday marked one year that we've been back in China, one year that we've been in this apartment. What makes it especially momentous is that we've been in this apartment for one year and we have NO plans of moving - that's a first in our 13 years of marriage! Usually by now we'd already be unpacking boxes in our new place. I have to admit, it feels a little strange. It's going to take some getting used to, this new-found semblance of stability. We've both been feeling a little restless over the past several weeks, and at first we weren't sure why - until we realized that subconsciously our bodies have been gearing up for the change of scenery that would normally be coming.

So, to commemorate the day and to prove (to ourselves, mostly) that we have no plans of going anywhere anytime soon, we went out and bought a rice cooker. Nothing says stability like a bulky kitchen appliance, right?

P.S.
Aren't those flowers gorgeous? Hubby got them for me the other night. They're so lush IRL - this picture just doesn't do them justice!

Happy Bellies

2010-05-12T22:58:00.000+08:00

I've discovered a new obsession: Curry House Coco Ichibanya!

It's a restaurant specializing in Japanese curry - and can I just say YUM? Now, I had no idea there was such a thing as Japanese curry. But it turns out that it's one of the most popular dishes in Japan, originally introduced by the British navy, who mixed curry powder with their stews. It's sweeter than Indian curry, and rather like a thick gravy. At this particular restaurant, you choose your curry dish (I got the grilled beef), the amount of rice you want, and the spice level. Then there are all kinds of optional toppings, from extra meats to veggies, even cheese. Man, this stuff is good! Two bites and I was a convert. We ate till we were stuffed, and even jokingly considered going back for dinner that evening. Hmm, maybe lunch tomorrow...

It's Good to be Home

2010-05-09T15:32:00.000+08:00

Whew. This was a busy week for me. I flew down to Shenzhen on Wednesday, had an appointment in Hong Kong on Thursday, then flew home to Shanghai on Friday. My 5 pm return flight didn't actually take off until 7:15; apparently thunderstorms elsewhere in the country were causing havoc with air travel. Flight after flight was delayed or canceled, they were starting to give out meal vouchers to certain flights, and they kept switching departure gates around on everyone (my flight went from gate 13 to 15 to 16). It was beginning to look like my flight might end up canceled as well (the counter was deserted, and at 6:30 the board still said our flight was "delayed until 5:30"), when all of a sudden a worker appeared and called out that we were boarding. By the time I made it to Shanghai, I was tired, hungry, and had a huge headache. Of course, even then I still had to take the subway and then a taxi before I was finally home.

So, yeah, that trip wore me out. Yesterday I just vegged on the couch in my pjs with some light reading. It felt so good just to be home, with the dog curled up by my side and Seth sitting nearby watching old episodes of Star Trek. No more travel plans for me in the near future; I'm staying put for a while!

Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger

2010-05-03T22:07:00.000+08:00

Squeezed in another card; this one is for the Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger. Here's the inspiration photo:

And here's my card:

Sorry for the rather dim lighting - I'm trying to get this in before the Monday am deadline, and America's Monday morning is my Monday night. Crazy, huh? I incorporated several elements from the inspiration photo into my card: the blue pool water, the sisal rug, the leaves on the pillows, and the white of the furniture. I used Ashley Cannon Newell's ruffled ribbon tutorial for my ruffled raffia - really easy to do, but adds such fun visual interest! I stamped the leaves onto an embossed rectangle, then stamped a second image onto some scrap cardstock and cut out two of the leaves for layering. I needed a sentiment, but I didn't want to clutter things up too much - so I performed a little stamp surgery and snuck this tiny little sentiment into the corner. Ah, doesn't this remind you of a nice beach vacation?

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Martha Stewart Leaves, Hero Arts "All Occasions Messages;" Ink: My Mind's Eye Neutrals palette; Patterned Paper: K & Company "Urban Rhapsody;" Accessories: raffia, Cuttlebug / Rectangle Nestabilities, foam dimensionals

Moxie Fab "Three Cheers for Chairs" Challenge

2010-05-02T16:34:00.002+08:00

So here's the card I was trying so futilely to photograph yesterday. It's for the Moxie Fab "Three Cheers for Chairs" Challenge (found here). I'm getting ready to spend a few days at a friend's house, so I wanted to make her a little thank-you card:

And the inside:

Isn't that chair just the perfect image for a hospitality card? I also used my new Hero Arts Houndstooth background stamp. Love that stamp! The bookprint layer is a photocopied page from a vintage cookbook. If you look closely at the bottom right corner, you'll see a reference to "home-making" - I thought it fit nicely with the overall theme of the card. I printed the inside sentiment with my computer (I discovered that the "Arabic Typesetting" font is almost a perfect match to the Hero Arts sentiment stamp I used on the front of the card). I finished it all off with some scallop trim and bright cheery buttons. I hope my friend likes it!

Card Supplies:

Stamps: Chronicle Books "Eames Stamp Set," Hero Arts "Houndstooth Background," Hero Arts "Just Wanted Sparkle Clear;" Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black, Stampendous Black pigment, My Mind's Eye "Natural" pigment palette, Ranger "Antique Linen" distress ink; Paper: kraft, watercolor paper, photocopied bookprint; Accessories: small corner rounder punch, scallop scissors, buttons, embroidery floss, foam dimensionals, printer (for inside sentiment), "Arabic Typesetting" font

Not a Good Day for Cameras

2010-05-02T00:16:00.001+08:00

Today I pulled out my trusty Rebel Xti and it would not auto-focus. Just made this sad little clicking sound like it was trying but just couldn't muster up the strength. At the time I was trying to take a picture of a card I had just made; needing to take advantage of the quickly fading daylight, I reached instead for my ancient point-and-shoot, and wouldn't you know it, the batteries were dead. Spent 15 minutes looking for the backup batteries, to no avail. Sigh.

Looks like we'll have to find a camera repair shop to see if my Rebel's lens can be resurrected. I am not a happy camper.

Our Little World

2010-04-28T23:56:00.007+08:00

Over the weekend, Seth and I spent some time exploring one of the older areas of the city. As modernization encroaches, these quaint little neighborhoods are becoming harder and harder to find. On this particular day, the sun was shining brightly after several days of rain; clothes and bedding could be seen dancing from poles above our heads, airing out in the fresh breeze.

In a nearby shop, casks of alcohol slowly aged on their dusty shelves.

Vendors displayed their wares, hoping for a few more customers before the afternoon lull.

A group of men enjoyed a rowdy drinking game over a late lunch.

And a tailor worked nimbly on his latest commission, a solitary light-bulb illuminating his workspace.

We wandered the crowded narrow lanes, absorbing the sights and sounds with our eyes and ears and hearts. We took a few pictures now and then, but mostly just observed: the clicking and clacking of hundreds of mahjong tiles, drifting through an open doorway; a young girl writing on the sidewalk with a piece of chalk; the hiss of steam from a pan full of dumplings; the play between sunlight and shadow down a crooked corridor; the smells from the wet market mingling in the heat of the day. So many experiences to be had, so many adventures still to come. I fell in love with China all over again that day. It was a very good day.

Easiest. Fudge. Ever

2010-04-26T17:14:00.000+08:00

This fudge has become my kryptonite. Seriously. It's the easiest recipe I've ever made, and it tastes sooo good. Just three ingredients. Yep, you heard me - three.

One can of sweetened condensed milk, 1 tablespoon of margarine, and 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder. That's it. Dump everything into a saucepan and stir continually over medium heat until mixture thickens and comes away from the sides, about 10 minutes. You can eat it straight from the pan (careful, it's hot!), or pour it into a container to set. I like to add some crushed oreos to mine. As you can see in the top picture, it doesn't make a huge batch, but I think that's actually a good thing. For me, the hard part is not eating it all the first day - one bite just isn't enough!

Just a Little Love Note

2010-04-23T16:13:00.001+08:00

Oh, coffee. We have a long history, you and I. We’ve had our ups and downs, a bumpy road, so to speak. In my mind, your rich aroma mingles with warm memories of rainy days at grandma’s house, the sound of the percolator a sign that all was peaceful and right in the world. But our relationship was purely platonic; I was too young to appreciate your robustness, the complexity of your charms. ‘Someday, when I’m grown,’ I thought, ‘ I’ll do adult things like read the newspaper while I drink my morning coffee – not because I’ll like it, but because it’s what grownups do, the same way they eat bran cereal and always take their medicine.’ By the time I reached college, I decided that I was the type of girl who wouldn’t do anything simply because it was expected, and thus shunned any future plans involving morning coffees and newspapers. But fate had her way, and I eventually married into a family of coffee drinkers. Oh, I held out for many years. I flirted a bit here and there, but you came on so strong, I was overwhelmed. But then – I don’t know which of us changed, or when, but bit by bit I found you more and more appealing. With a little bit of sweetness, you could be quite alluring. And with just the right amount of velvet creaminess, oh my! What began as an experimental little fling has become quite the love affair. My day doesn’t feel right without you in it. So here I sit, surfing the web while drinking my morning coffee, and I realize – I wouldn’t have it any other way.