Cards: 'Ornate Bird' scrap-cards

Hello. 

I don't buy a lot of stamps. Not really. Well ... how many's 'a lot' ... Actually ... I guess it all depends on who I'm comparing myself to doesn't it? But however many I buy, sometimes there's one that I just have to have.

Like this:

It's the 'Ornate Bird' from Clarity Stamp who I stumbled into while looking for something else entirely and ... well ... he somehow flew into my basket:

And he [she? it?] became the worthy star of the cards I made for Mother's Day, plus a couple more ... because I liked them so much I didn't want to stop ... 

I was aiming for a multi-layered, tactile, jumble-y vintage collection feel to them so first I stamped on to lightly patterned and/or lightly textured cardstock as I find that a much nicer base than stark plain white: 

Next I coloured the bird in using ProMarkers:

The first thing I thought when I spotted him on the website was that it was some sort of automaton, a clockwork bird. And while he isn't, I do think he has a slight Steampunk / mechanical feel to him.

Even though I'd stamped on to the patterned papers the image still felt bare to me, so I decided to stamp in lighter shades of ink across the backgrounds:

So as not to stamp over my first image I protected it with a mask made from stamping the bird again on to newspaper; cutting around it and laying it over my original image to hide it while I stamped my smaller images across the page:

Once that was complete I turned to looking for the right papers, from my scrap and off-cuts bag, and ancient hoarded embellishments to build the card with:

I also challenged myself to keep adding elements even when it seemed like I had enough. I allowed two voices in my head to battle it out between themselves ... I was a case of "that's too much, it can't all be seen clearly anyway, some of it's hidden, so why bother?" versus "Even if you never bought another sheet of paper/ribbon/journaling block again you have enough to last a small geological age ... so get it used! Now!!".

The latter won.

And I suspect it'll probably keep on winning because:

1. I do have a lot of supplies ... and I'd rather they took flight on a project rather than drag me down into a pit of stash [all-be-it a rather pretty pit!;
2. I like the feel of the 'scrap-cards' I've been making of late, they're a bit like the way I dress ... multi-layered, patterned and cosy!
3. Hopefully they're interesting to receive and to look at ... and when you're giving cards I guess that's is the most impportant thing!

OK then, that's me for today. I hope you likemy 'scrap cards' ... think of me next time you're wondering whether to add that extra layer  / item ... and then let it go ... and glue it down!

Jx

Art Journal Challenge: Week 12

Hi.


I'm not here. I'm brought to you today via a scheduled post. You'll see why this particualr fact is ironic in a moment ...

As I've been off work for a fortnight I managed to complete Week 12 of the UKStampers' Art Journal Challenge almost immediately. Not only did I have an idea of what it was I wanted to do ... I actually had the time to do it! 

The prompt this week was 'Home' and what it means to you - and here's my response: 

The first thing that occurred to me was that home is my 'port in a storm' ... and with that thought I'd suddenly found the perfect use for a stamped image of a lighthouse from when I'd borrowed the stamp from a friend a few weeks back: 
And then my mind went from 'port in a storm' to 'storm in tea-cup' to 'port-in-a-storm-in-tea cup' and then suddenly I also had a use for a digi-image of a tea-cup I'd had since the Alice in Wonderland themed weekend too!

We had to include a picture of a house on our pages too, which I found on a postage stamp [even though I don't live in Vietnam!]:

The circular designs are made from running a Glitz Roller Doodle through the slightly damp gesso. Then I spritzed Shimmerz ink over the top once it dried: 

There's some of the usual stenciling through sequin-waste and then finally, while the spray ink was still wet I scooped up a few grains of Brusho on to a paintbrush and rather than wet them and create a wash with them , I simply just sprinkled them onto the page and let them disperse however they chose:

So there we go, my interpretation of 'Home'. And now here's the reason why posting about that topic is particularly ironic today ... it'sbecause I'm spending the final day of my fortnight off work ... at work!

Something came up which means I'm going in. Which is not quite what I'd planned for my last day of freedom.

But still ... it doesn't hurt to know that your utterly indispensable every now and again does it? ;-)

As soon as I get chance I'll move on to tackle Week 13's art journal prompt which is all about 'superstitions'. So ... touch wood I'll have that done before next week ....

Happy Friday to you.

Julie

My Month in Numbers 2011: March

Hello again.

How are we all feeling now we're over a quarter of the way through 2011? Dizzy? Bored already? Still finding surprise Christmas decorations you forgot to take down?

Me? Well enjoying the fact that, as I've been blogging my 'months in numbers' for one and a quarter years now, I can really easily look back to discover what I was doing this time last year.

And, as fine and dandy and gift-filled as this month has been, it can't really compete with March 2010 when my favourite living writer gave me some hair conditioner. But then ... what could ever compete with that? Really?

Never the less, there've still been a few noteworthy moments this month ... namely ...

2 months 'belated'= how long after my January birthday I received birthday cards and 4 birthday presents:

Due to various reasons [and in some case the simple fact of geography] they'd not been able to give me them sooner. But this beautiful birdie plus a wonderful necklace and some fab crafting items were definitely worth the wait!

2 + a bit months 'belated' = how long after Christmas I exchanged gifts with a good friend and work colleague who I could never quite catch up with on campus.

We finally arranged an illicit present swap [mine held ^ this scarf] near the outdoor smoking area one morning before lectures! Festive, wouldn't you say?

2011 Census= the first National Census I've filled in:

Other than on our mortgage it's really the first 'official' record that we're are our own family unit of 2, in our own house. In 100 years time won't all those local history buffs be enthralled at those fascinating details it recorded ... like my exact job title .... and how I get to work ... and how neither of us have a current passport ... exciting times!

Actually I'm still a little sad that I never got to provide answers to some of life's more pressing questions e.g:

1. Is it ever acceptable to mix red and pink in the same outfit?
2. Is TKMaxx a supernatural source of wonder? or;
3. Is cake for breakfast OK as part of a balanced diet?
4. Are you ever likely to wear the new pyjama bottoms/lounge pants you bought last week for £6:00, as 'real' trousers, outdoors, in public, this summer?

[To which my answers would have been: 1. Yes of course. 2. Yes, have you not seen their journal collections ... and the dresses? 3. Yes ... what else are you meant to eat? And 4. Errr ... yes, you have met me haven't you?].

And the one thing I'm glad they didn't ask?:

1. How many units of Internet do you consume each week?

Because I would simply have had to have risked jail and a fine ... and lied about my online consumption levels!  

Which leads me on to  ...

6 cheeses = I planned to tell you about the time this month that my friends and I had a 6-cheese lunch in a wine emporium ... but frankly it deserves a whole post [and scrapbook layout] all to itself ... so watch this space.

1 year out =  the mistake I made when giving my age to my local paper who asked me to take part in their reader's books column. [I've blurred out my personal details - not because of vanity - but more like security ... I give enough away as it is!]:

But you'll just have to take my word for it that I somehow gave the editor the wrong age. I was a year out ... the wrong way!

I said I was a year older than I am!  It just dawned on me one night after I'd emailed her the  text - but before it was printed. It was like an epiphany that I'd written entirely the wrong thing [How? How?]. It was also too late to get it changed ...

Knowing it would make the perfect addition [no pun intended] to this 'month in numbers post' was the only redeeming feature of my stupidity! Ho hum ...

Can you see on there that is asks what I'm currently reading? Well ...

 Page 21 = You were warned in last month's round-up that I was in possession of a new and vast novel [2666 by Roberto Bolano] the progress of which I was bound to use for number fodder here each month. I may only be up to page 21 but perhaps you'll forgive me when I tell you that, up to now, the only thing that has happened in the entire plot is that 4 scholars have attended several conferences on German literature ... that's it.

Bet you can't wait to read it yourself now. 

30p = how much I paid for this:

It was one of the 5 books for £1:60 that I found in my favourite rummage-y secondhand bookshop [it's in Helmsley if you're interested]:

Getting books that cheaply means I feel OK cutting into them and tearing them up to use in my work. Next week [when I've finished it] I'll show you something I've already made using pages from the astronomy handbook.  

4 Alice in Wonderland costumes = the rare treat which HannahBanana discovered and brought to our Alice-themed crafting weekend. Here's a playing card putting Tweedle-dum's tie straight [or is it Tweedle-Dee? And how does one tell?]:

Amazing costumes aren't they?!

Yet sadly I have no photos of the fourth outfit ... which was the one I got to wear - a pink and white striped confection of pure dress joy, one which I was reluctant to take off as I was getting quite used to the swishyness it added to my walk [even if I did have to turn sideways to get past the sofa!].

As soon as someone sends me a photo of me in it ... you'll be the first to see and hopefully it'll be followed swiftly by the layout I must make with it!

Finally I'll move on to the last scrap-worthy moment March brought me...

45 years = how long my Dad's had this greenhouse:

And now ... after all those years of faithfully assisting him [and me] to nurture every kind of seedling and innumerable tomatoes ...  he's decided to let it rest and had ordered himself a new one.

And like so much in this post this old friend also deserves a scrapbook page and nostalgic blog post all to itself ... so it looks like April's already shaping up to be a month's worth of scrapbooking ahead.

Still ... there're worse things to have to tackle ...!

If you want to share your month's numbers with me and my readers then simply leave me a link in a comment or an email and I'll edit this post and add you in. Don't forget there's a blog button in my sidebar you can grab if you're joining in.

Happy new month to you all. I hope it brings you many, many noteworthy / scrapworthy / shareworthy / smileworthy moments.

Take care,

Julie x

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Posts of those who joined in this month:

• HannahBanana's numbers included a bunch of odd folk [she + I included] wearing homemade aprons and a skirt that she's hand-printing - go look - you'll wish she was going into production with them. I do!
• FavouriteWorkofArt blogged some important firsts, and lots of numbers related to her beautiful children!
• Claireliz scrapbooks her numbers and this month's recorded an enviable cake intake!

Card: The World's Greatest Performing Monkeys

Greetings.

Welcome to Week 2 of my break! In order to keep myself out of all kinds of mischief, I've been crafting ... and here's a card I made featuring performing monkeys ... obviously:

The poster of Signorita Galetti and her Troupe of the World's Greatest PerformingMonkeys was simply printed from the Vintage Theatre and Circus Image CD from 3DJean.

It's it's my day to post for the Scattered Scarlet Design Team blog today. You can see another card over on their blog today too.

Both cards were put together [like so many projects recently] using 'bits' from the great bag of bits I hoard ... I'm much more of a skip-rat than a refined shopper these days. All of which basically means that I'm far more inspired by left-overs, other people's scraps and found items than I am brand new, fully co-ordinating single-brand kits. And that's all well and good ... except ...

Except the only problem with using bits and leftovers is ... that no matter how hard I try ... they never run out. I can never use them up. They don't go anywhere.

Because the fact of the matter is ... once you've cut into a 'bit' [foolishly thinking you're on your way to putting it to full-use] ...if you don't use every last square centimetre of it on your current project ... rather than get rid of it you've actuallly just made in into two bits!!!!

You've doubled the original bit-count.

Cloned it.

And you're left with another bit to find a use for!

'Bits' are like the Japanese Knotweed of the craft realm. If you don't get rid of it all in one go ... it multiplies. Or else they're like The Terminator.

Unstoppable. Can't knock 'em down ... but even if you do ... you can't keep them down!

All you can do is make another card with them ...

... and then maybe another:

So ... I would ask you about your experiences of 'bits' ... but frankly I'm afraid you might get the wrong idea!
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Anywhooo ... if you do get chance to visit my post on the 3DJean blog, my post is here.

And for those of you who fancy joining me in a Month in Numbers post:

• I'm on track to post mine this Thursday [March 31st];
• I'll happily include a link to your post in mine - or edit mine afterwards to fit you in;
• Send me your links via a comment or an email.

Also ...

• I've made a button/badge thingy to adorn your sidebar ... if you so wish!
• So, if you're viewing this in a reader - make sure to hop out for a minute so you can grab the code.

And that's me for today. Off to scavenge for lunch ... I'm torn between an avocado salad and ... chips

Julie

Overheard: I'm on the 'Drink Me' diet ... like Alice.

Hi, hi, hi.

Here, during my 'Spring Break' break, I really have no business thinking about work ... and yet this particular overheard is the ltest to the collection ... and is still making me smile ... so I thought I'd share it with you now regardless.

In my previous overheard post I bemoaned the fact that as I now have to sit near the front of lecture rooms, usually right near the lecturer, I hardly ever overhear any funny snippets of campus chatter. And it was all true ... until a fortnight ago.
Prior to a packed-out lecture, seated right in front of the podium, I was well within earshot of four lecturers ...

The scene: four lecturers [all male] were huddled around a lectern busily connecting up a laptop to the overhead projector. Judging by the conversation, two of the men had not seen each other in a while ...

Lecturer 1: You've lost weight haven't you?

Lecturer 2: Yep. Three stone.

Lecturer 1: Wow. Is it that much?

Lecturer 2: Yeah ... but I have to lose another stone and a half yet.

Lecturer 1 [clearly bemused by the whole dieting concept]: Why do you 'have to' ... is there a particularly small hole you're wanting to fit through?

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Not only was it a great punchline to a conversation you don't very often hear men having ... it also made for a great 'Alice down the rabbit-hole' style of surreal image in my head.

And again ... I did my best nonchalant-I'm-in-no-way-smiling-at-the-conversation-I'm-not-meant-to-be-listening-into face while making a mental note to write it down the minute I got out of sight!
As soon as I catch any fresh real-life conversational gold ... you know you'll be the first to hear about it.

See you soon.

Julie :-)

[p.s: the photo is the tape measure belt I made myself a couple of years ago. If you click on the image it'll take you to a 'how-to' on it.]