Happy Valentine's Day!

Why HELLO!   Hap-hap-HAPPY Valentine's Day!

I'm in such a good mood, today.  Why?  I don't know.  Maybe it has something to do with all the sugar that's pounding through my veins, thanks to all the candy that people have left on my desk.  Or from the cupcakes that Miss Marie made...  Or from the pure sugar I've eaten, straight from the packets at the coffee machine. 

I love Valentine's Day.  Even when I've not been 'in loooooooove,' I've loved Valentine's Day.  Remember when we were little and pronounced it as 'VALLEN-TIMES?'   I love that...  Every time I hear a little kid say 'VALLEN-TIMES,'  a piecet of my heart thaws. 

I miss having a party in school, making a Valentine's mailbox, and passing out those cheap grocery store cards in the flimsy envelopes.  I remember thinking somebody was really cool if they were able to talk their Mom into springing for the cards that came with suckers to stick through slots in the card. 

Oh I love memory lane.  I'm usually drunk driving down it- but today, I'm on the sugar high express. 

Anyways.  As fond as my memories of cheap grocery Valentine's are- I still enjoy being 'grown,' and making my own cards.  So here's a selection of some of the many different cards I made for this year!

I loved making these faux polaroid shapes, using a square punch (for the dark gray paper) and my paper trimmer to cut the white rectangle.

Mist!  Masks!  Washi!  Die cuts!  Stamping!  Wow- how many techniques can I squeeze onto one square card?

If there's anything cooler than all these date roller stamps that these companies release every 15 minutes, I don't know what it is...

This one, above, is very simple.  I cut a scrap square of paper into strips on the paper trimmer.  Stuck them on, put a strip of washi (which I'd also cut in half!) and topped with a stamped and cut-out image.  The stamp was from the dollar bin at JoAnn.  How cheap was this card?  Scraps!  Washi cut in half lengthwise!  Dollar bin stamp!

I got the new blueprint Valentine's stamps from Mr. Holtz/Stampers Anonymous and had to play around with the famous 'wrinkle free distress' technique.  I LOVE playing with Distress Inks on my craftsheet!  I just feel like such a pro, misting the ink with water and smashing the tag down!  Sometimes, I even pretend to be Tim Holtz, and say to Holly, "Remember! Distress is reactive with water!"

Aaaaand on the last card that I've got to show, right now, you can see where I played around with my Distress Markers, coloring a couple of stamped images.  I love Distress Markers.  Has there ever been a more perfect marker?!  No.  There hasn't.


If I can manage to snap more pics of the cards I've made, before I head downtown to the theatre tonight, I'll post them-  final weekend of CRIMES OF THE HEART!  Come on downtown and see the show, if you're in town!  Next up:  Tracy Letts' BUG.  

Lots of love and HAPPY VALLEN-TIMES DAY!

-kory k

Lyric Theatre's BYE BYE BIRDIE and...A Birdhouse.

Last night, went to Lyric Theatre's first night of the first show of their summer season, BYE BYE BIRDIE.  It was a a ton of fun, in the only way 1960's musical comedy can be-  dammit, what a good time!  And so much fun to see a professional production of a show that's been beaten to death in high schools across America.  If you're in OKC, buy a ticket!

That's me, with my date for the evening, Jessica.  She's not only the prettiest lady in town, she's also my favorite actor in town!

Another Jessica I know-  the one I call 'Baby' Jessica, called me up to ask a favor.  Yeahp- so that's my segue- one Jessica to the next-

Baby Jessica called me up, to ask a favor...

Along with her father, she was doing something for a charity.  They were having some kind of benefit, a party and auction.  They were supposed to decorate a plain wooden birdhouse.  At the benefit, all of the birdhouses, that different people had decorated, would be auctioned off.  They had no clue what to do- so she called to ask if she could bring it over- for me to decorate.

Of course I said, "Hell YEAH!"

Here's what I came up with:

As I dived into this project without any plan of attack, it took much longer than it should've... but it ended up working out in my favor, as there was a nice layer of paint on it before I came up with the plan of attack!  

First, the entire birdhouse was painted with a coat of off-white fitty cent pain from Wal-Mart.  After lots of staring at the thing, I smeared and rubbed some dark brown and light brown paint in random streaks. (More fitty cent paint from Wal-Mart.)  At this point, it looked like a huge mess.  More like a birdCRACKhouse.  So I attacked it with some Vintage Photo Distress Stain.  That didn't help in the attractive department, either.  I thought, maybe it needs some color.   That's where the bright blue came to be in the spaced between the 'boards,' and where the door was painted red.  In honor of my Grandma's favorite perfume?  I don't know.

As I was staring at my shelves of product.  I grabbed the little bottle of Mr. Holtz's Antique Bronze Crackle Paint.  I randomly slapped thick patches of the crackle paint around the house.  Now, this isn't a tiny birdhouse that fits in the palm of your hand.  It's pretty damn big.  And I was sure I'd use the entire jar of crackle paint.  Nope.  Didn't even make a dent in it- looked like it was still more than 1/2 full. (Optimistic, aren't I?)  Seriously!  I'd been "takin' it easy" on the crackle paints, because I was afraid of running out too soon!  Let this be a lesson- there's more than it looks, and it goes farther than you think!

And that's where I called it a night.  I left the birdhouse to dry for the night.

When I returned to my project the following day, the crackle paint had - well, you know- it did what the name implies.  IT CRACKLED!  Beautifully.  I rubbed some Walnut Stain Distress Ink into the cracks, just as his highness, Mr. Holtz, has taught us to do.

Here's where the embossing comes in-  I just felt that I want to melt some embossing power on the thang.  I used the 'Aged Copper' from Stampendous.  I love that way this stuff looks.  I dumped it around the edges of each window and blasted it with the heat gun.

To finish up, I smeared some Walnut Stain Distress STICKLES around the edges of the roof, door, and anywhere else that looked neglected.  I superglued the gear and game spinners to the very front top of the roof.  I superglued the Idea-ology 'Ornate Plate' over the hole- wait, what's that called?  The 'Bird-Door?'  I don't know.  I also superglued a game piece above the door, as a house number.

It still didn't look 'finished,' to me.  My basket of tapes caught my eye.  I grabbed a few rolls of tissue tape and stuck two small pieces to the front of the house- there on the windowsill and a piece right above the window- which mostly became transparent when I smeared it with ink and glue.  After attaching more strips of tissue tape to the 'ground' around the house, like some kind of walkway or 'yard,' I was DONE!  I delivered the house to Baby Jessica's Dad the following morning!  I've yet to hear what it sold for, in the auction at the benefit.  Part of me doesn't want to know.  I'm happy with my daydream that it went for thousands of dollars and the board of directors are speaking of me in hushed, reverent tones and announcing me as the one who singlehandedly supported their cause...

Sunday: A card!

Happy Sunday, everyone!

You know what Sunday is-  MATINEE DAY.  

As I went out with the sound designer for much needed drinks after last night's show, I didn't just spring out of bed this morning, ready to do the show.  I did somehow manage to drag myself downtown in time- and guess what?  Somebody up above must have decided to do me a favor and give me a break- we had the smoothest running performance EVER.  It was such a nice break from all the issues and problems that have been attacking us every night!  Finally, the drama was onstage, where it belongs!

I'm here, today, to share a card that I made with one of my favorite stamps from Stampotique/Daniel Torrente.  I love his stamps!!!  They're so fun!

Isn't that cutest little creepy guy?

I used some kraft cardstock, the ever-trusty Vintage Photo Distress Ink and Hobby Lobby's knockoff Tim Holtz style gears.  Hobby Lobby's gears are VERY thin and cheap feeling-  I'm kind of conflicted, they look kinda cool, but they feel so cheap.  But they are very thin and lightweight, so they work well on cards.

I grabbed a few random bits out of my scrap-pile.  A piece of Kraft Funday border, a strip of cardstock I'd embossed using the new Stencil embossing folder from Mr. Holtz, a bit of stamped chevron graphic-  everything just jumped out of at me and ended up on the card.

Wanna see it?  Here it go!

I love that little guy!  And these stamps are addictive.  I want them ALL.

I colored him with a few Distress Markers.  Do you have any yet?  They are fantastic!

Alright.  I'm out- it's Sunday evening in a few minutes and I need to rest and relax and clear what's left of my foggy mind!  Have the best Monday possible, tomorrow!

-kory

Where's Kory BEEN?!

I know!  It's been ages.  Nearly a decade, it feels.  I hope you don't feel that I abandoned you!  Don't worry-  all of you right there, in what tiny shred of a heart I have left!

For those of you who don't know, or for the rest of you who've drained a box of wine or three since I last posted, I'm a stage manager.  And I've been stage managing one of the toughest plays I've ever worked on...  The past week of technical rehearsals, dress rehearsals, a preview and an opening night have left me nearly dead.  I'm surprised to be alive and breathing!

For most of the past four weeks, this has been my view:

My Vanilla Coke.  Pencils.  My 'good' pen.  Little Post-Its.  Post-It tabs.  Candy.  And: my script, which slowly became filled with light cues, sound cues, projection cues, AND A SNOWSTORM.

To make a long story short and protect my reputation:  the show opened last night, and I'm still alive.

(( An hour long break occurred right here, as I drove my truck to a furniture store to pick up furniture for a DIFFERENT show in town, and drove it to its theatre.  Work doesn't stop for long, for me, it seems. ))

So what am I here, this afternoon, to share?  What I made for opening night gifts!

Making a gift of some kind is one of my favorite parts of the job- and it isn't even one of the required parts of the job.  It calms my nerves to arrive early on the first night.  I walk slowly, unlock the theatre, turn on all the lights,  sweep the stage floor (nearly a ritual in itself!)  Then, the most calming part of my pre-opening ritual:  I place my gifts in the dressing rooms at the nearly cliché makeup tables surrounded by lights.  It's so exciting!  I love the idea of the actors showing up and finding their gift in their dressing room.  And I don't just make a gift for the actors- I leave one at everyone's 'position.'  

SO WHAT DID I MAKE?

I made necklaces!

I bought lengths of chain at Micheals- it was on sale for 2.50 per package!  I already had the rest of the stuff at home- necklace clasps, jump rings- and the most important part, Tim Holtz's Philosophy Tags.  I love these things!  They are beautiful.

As I didn't have ANY free time,  I used my lunch hour to assemble the necklaces.  Late one night after rehearsal, I made the 'packaging.'

For the packaging, I used an office-supply 'Custom Stamp Kit' to make my own stamp- with the title of the play, the year, and that famous theatrical pre-show greeting: "Break A Leg!"  I stamped this on two tags.  The first, a kraft tag (from Ranger) which I embossed with a Sizzix/Tim Holtz Sewing & Stitching embossing folder.  I stamped one of Mr. Holtz's trucks on it, wrapped the necklace around it-  and put it in a regular brown paper bag.  I folded over the top and punched two holes with my Crop-A-Dile.  I took the other stamped tag, just a plain manila shipping tag (bought in bulk at Staples- very cheap!), wrote a note on it and tied it to the paper bag with some Dollar Tree twine.

Here's the pictures!

There's the bag!

And here's the gift inside:

Isn't that nice looking?  I was impressed with myself.  For not much money at all, I had a gift for every person involved with the production.  It took only about an hour to produce eight of these.  Yes, only eight, it's a fairly small (but technically difficult) show.

Here's a close-up, cuz I like lookin at it!

Well, it's suddenly 4:30.  I've got less than two hours before I need to run downtown for tonight's show.   I'm so so relieved that the week of technical rehearsal is OVER.  There's a reason show people call the week of technical rehearsals "Hell Week."  After tomorrow's matinee, I'll have a few nights off and some major relaxing and crafting!  And on top of that, I'll be back soon (!) with some exciting news and a new card!

See ya then!

-kory

Mini-Book Time!

Anybody who knows me knows how much I love to make mini-books.  More than anything.  Layouts? Cards?  MINI-BOOKS!  They're so much fun!

I recently made a blank book for my boss, for her birthday- for her to put photos in, after an upcoming trip.  She loved it so much that she begged me to make one for her to give, as a gift, to her daughter.  She emailed some photos of her grandsons and I got to work-

First, I used PIXLR to edit the photos.  What's PIXLR??!  It's a terrific and FREE editing website (also available as an app for Android, Apple's app store- I have it on my iPad, too- f'realz, I like it that much).  I added effects to all of the photos, added borders to some and uploaded the photos to Walgreens.  It is convenient to upload pics to Walgreens and just go pick them up on my lunch break.  No, I'm not being bribed by Walgreens to say that-  I really do!

I'd recently found the "Journey" collection of papers from AUTHENTIQUE and knew they'd work well for this mini-book.  With two of the 1.00 packs of blank chipboard book sets from the dollar bin at MICHAELS, I was ready to get to work!

I'm sure it's no surprise that there will be plenty of product from Tim Holtz in this book!  On the outside, right away you can spot the Philosophy Tags and the beautiful 'wings' stamp, which I heat embossed with clear embossing powder.

The metal frame/file-label tab-thingy, is from Hobby Lobby.  They have a box of ten for two or three bucks.  They look even better when sanded a bit!  Inside is a ChitChat sticker that says 'journey.'  The closure is made with a Hitch Fastener, string, and a Hinge Clip (all from Tim Holtz.  Well, except the string, which is DOLLAR TREE!).

How about a look inside?

Here's my favorite part of the book.  The page above was made by embossing a piece of plastic (leftover packaging material from a set of Spellbinders) and rubbing some paint on the 'back' side after I scratched it up with some sandpaper.  And there's one of my favorite stamps from Catslife Press!

And there's the back of the book.  Pretty anticlimactic, but it didn't feel right- all that and not showing the back of the book!

My boss was totally thrilled with the book.  She spent most of the day, running around the building to show it to people.  I'm glad she liked it!

And now- to clean up the mess I created while creating this book.  Looks like a bomb went off and then a tornado hit!

New Product Party Time!

I feel like I've been away for years!  No, please, don't cry-  I'm right here!

There's so much excitement that I can barely keep it in my pants!  My wallet, I mean! 

Yes!  It's almost PAYDAY FRIDAY and on top of THAT-  there's heaps of new product coming out of the woodwork!

Last night, I almost fell off my bed when I noticed that SCRAPBOOK.COM was now fresh in stock with all of Mr. Holtz's AMAZING new dies-  the globe, the telephone, the typewriter (AND MORE!!!)....  These look cool beyond words. 

They are also carrying the embossing folders I've nearly gone insane waiting for- the "'Book Covers"  Aaaaaand the "Riveted Metal" and "Diamond Plate" set!!!   I've been coming up with so many ideas to use these for-  I can't wait to get a set in my hot little hands! 

And speaking of the Holtzcitement-  did y'all check out his blog today for the special announcement?  NEW DISTRESS INKS!!!  Yes- you're right- it's time for the SPRING Seasonal Distress set.  Yes, if you're in Oklahoma, you'll join me in saying IT IS 90 FREAKIN DEGREES OUTSIDE SPRING WHAAAAT WE'RE ALREADY READY FOR THE SUMMER COLORS!!!   The colors are BEAUTIFUL - get over to Mr. Holtz's beautiful new website and see the colors for yourself!!!

K & COMPANY's crazily popular SMASH line is out with the new just-like-a-DYMO labelmaker.  Which I want.  Badly.  Why, Kory?  You have a real-life vintage DYMO labeler that works perfectly?  I LIKE THE FONT, OKAYYYYY?   And can you believe how popular the SMASH Books are?!  I heard from a friend that saw a display of them at a GROCERY store in Dallas!  You can buy them in Target!  I don't know why I find that as exciting as I do... Congratulations on a great product, K & COMPANY!!!  I love it!  (I also really love their SWATCH tape, which I recently picked up at the local store, My Heart's Fancy.)

Is there some new product you're excited about?  Let me know!

-kory

Embossing Diffusers, or: The Most Exciting Day of My Life

Have you ever had one of those moments, when you realize that your life hasn't been lived in vain?  That moment has happened to me a few times.  The first time, it was while stage managing the rock musical, HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH.  The second time was today, when I discovered the EMBOSSING DIFFUSERS from Sizzix/Tim Holtz/Alterations.

You should know right away that if Mr. Holtz has allowed his should-be sainted name to be placed on a product that it's worthwhile.  Yeah, I'm a little drunk on boxes wine, so I might be going overboard.  But really.  You know true love when you see it...  whether it's in the broad sober daylight or in the dark of a nasty smoke-filled bar.  Or in your local scrap/art store.

Today was DEMO DAY at My Heart's Fancy- one of my most favorites spots in town.  I went with the lovely Darla/Chocklit Dee from Scrapbook.com.  They were demo-ing (is that a word? no, it would just be 'demonstrating,' I guess- that's another thing that can get on my nerves-  I mean, as much as I love to invent new words, I dislike it when they're co-opted by the masses, such as 'demo' for 'demolishing' thanks to HGTV).   I'm sorry, I tend to ramble a bit when I'm on the Jesus Juice (thank you, Mr. Jackson).

What the hell was I talking about?

DIFFUSERS.  EMBOSSING DIFFUSERS.

Just go out and buy them, ladies and gentlemen.

Here's mine!

See?

Now, do you get it?

If not- here's a brief and the best explanation that I can do in such circumstances.

You use the diffuser to emboss all but a part of the card.  You can emboss all but a circle, oval, or small wide oval, of the the card.  OR- you can use the inset shapes to just emboss a circle of the card.  Or an oval or a small oval.

Do you get what I'm trying to say?

Yes.  You have just multiplied all of your embossing folders by six.

This product will change the way you look at every embossing folder that you own!

Promise.   Go buy it.

Here's the card that I made at DEMO DAY.  This might give you a better idea:

And here's one that I just made, at home.  Pretty much ripping off that demo design- but using a different diffuser:

I LOVE THESE!!  

I can't wait to play with these more.  And more.  If you're into card making, it really makes a world of new ideas.

-kory

just a little hint or two

I know.  Every time I offer a hint or a tip, you cringe and say, "Aren't you the person who, until even a year ago, thought the line in SILENT NIGHT was 'ROUND YOUNG VIRGIN'???" or "Aren't you the person who swears a half a bottle of vodka and snorting a crushed diet pill can cure a cold?"

Well, I'm not always right and some of my tips aren't for everybody.  But these are pretty good.

If you're anything like me,  you put off changing the blade in your paper trimmer for as long as you can...

It isn't that they're outrageously expensive- they just aren't any fun to buy.

Also, it can turn into one of those things that you just FORGET about-  you know what I mean.   You're busy and you cut a strip and think, 'time ta change that blade!'  Then, you turn back to what you're working on and forget all about it...

What I do, to make a raggedy cut look just as crisp as with a brand new sharp blade, is to just pick up my handy Tim Holtz sanding block and lightly drag it across the edge of the paper.  Not really ANY pressure beyond the weight of the paper pushing agains the block

Yeahp, it's as easy as that...

Now, say you're laying out your photos- and you notice something.  DAMMIT THERE'S A GLARE IN AN EYE!

Yeah- you went through all the trouble of standing around the photo printing computer at Wal-Mart for an entire hour, and never thought to check for any glares to correct.

Pick up one of your INCREDLIBLE brand new Tim Holtz Distress Markers (I grabbed Walnut Stain) and color the glare!

See?  That's it, in the upper left.  Same photo.  NO GLARE.  Not even noticeable.  I know, I know.  I've been singing the praises of these markers.  And I've only got ten of them so far.  They really can do it ALL.

As Brini Maxwell always said,  'Now, why didn't YOU think of that?'

-kory

It's time for the Tim Holtz Tag O' The Month!

  Am I alone in my excitement, or are Mr. Holtz's 12 Tags of 2012 not the best things to happen to the year, so far?!  I mean, what else do we have to look forward to- an election?!  Which means nonstop talk at work from loudmouths who know nothing about politics, except when an election nears and you're forced to hear their insane and idiotic political talk until election day when you find out they didn't go vote anyways, cuz they 'didn't have any time?!'  It also means idiotic political commercials and even worse- commercials for products and businesses that think they're being oh so clever by parodying political commercials?!

Sorry, I get a little worked up.  I should have a glass of wine and relax.  I should.  But instead- I'm here because today is April 1!  

No, I'm not talking about April Fools Day-  it's time for the next tag in Tim Holtz's hella fun 12 Tags of 2012 series!!!

I was sitting around, doing what I do best- being lazy, when I remembered- FIRST DAY OF APRIL!  I WONDER IF THE NEW TAG IS UP?!  It was!  And I wanted to make mine as fast as I could- but suffered a great delay when my Mom called me up, needing a ride to the auto parts place to exchange a car battery.

Hours later, I'm home and here's mah tag!

Kinda similar, right?  Well, it's got a bird on it.

I didn't have the new bird on a branch die, because when I saw it- I couldn't think of anything I'd need another bird for-  I like the birdcage die lots, tho-  so I used it to cut a bird from some chipboard, which I colored with Walnut Stain and Broken China Distress Inks, then heat embossed it it some clear embossing powder.  Which looks like some kinda candy when I sprinkle it on, pre-heating, and I almost just wanna eat it.  (Don't).

I used a Grungeboard flourish from one of the Grungeboard shapes packs, for under the little bird.

The tag- I followed Mr. Holtz's instructions to use the frame Texture Fade embossing folder, stamping it's smooth side with a 'dictionary' stamp- then embossing the tag.  Imagine my surprise when it WORKED!  So cool!  So, the embossed part doesn't have any text on it- just the 'background!'  I love this technique!!!

I colored the tag with the same Wild Honey and Broken China Distress Inks that Mr. Holtz used- but I went a little too heavy on the Wild Honey.  I also added some ICED SPRUCE Distress Ink (from last Winter's SEASONAL set).  I love this color.  Last, I rubbed some Walnut Stain onto the embossed frame.

I didn't have any word bands, so I cut another piece of chipboard with one of the 'Labels' Movers N Shapers, colored it with some Picket Fence Distress Stain, stamped 'JOURNEY' on it, and glued it on...  It was an 'Enjoy the...' stamp, so I used a mask to just get the 'Journey' on there...

Last, I grabbed a strip of white ribbon from my ribbon rack, ran the Weathered Wood Distress Stain across it, and tied that little booger on my COMPLETED TAG!

There it is, people.  Kory's version of Tim Holtz's tag for the month of APRIL 2012.   I don't know how happy I am with the 'Journey' label- I might redo that part, if inspiration strikes later this evening.  But I also need to shave.  Since I haven't shaved in a week, I might need a machete and a good three hours, so...we'll see what happens.

-kory

Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint

Who was it, a few days ago, who asked me about the Distress Crackle Paint and if I've had any luck with it?

I've had lots of luck with it-  I don't know what could be causing any troubles you might be experiencing. I've not had any trouble with it- so I've never needed to experiment.  I think that before I bought any, I read something on Mr. Holtz's blog (or saw something on a tip video) that said you should brush it on and not really mess with it once you brush it on-

For example, sometimes when I'm painting something, I have a tendency to keep brushing the paint back and forth and back and forth- trying to smooth it out, trying to make it look just so- and then SURPRISE- parts of the thin layer of paint gets a little dried out and it balls up while the rest streaks with brush lines.   So, I just pull the brush out of the Distress Crackle jar- don't wipe off the excess- you don't want a THIN layer, just make as few strokes as you can with the brush onto whatever you're painting.  One stroke across, then one stroke across right under the last stroke.  Just cover it and, as they say in rehab, LET GO AND LET GOD.

What reminded me of this?  No, not rehab- Crackle Paint.

This:

I'm now at the 'making embellishment' phase of my TOP SECRET SUPER PROJECT.  Which somehow took most of the weekend to make JUST PART OF- and it totally looks like nothing so far.   This could the Al Capone's Vault all over again, people.  Don't be excited.

I painted this Grungeboard wing piece with some ivory acrylic paint, when it was dry, I brushed on some Rock Candy Distress Crackle.  Once that dried, in all it's crackle-ly glory, I rubbed some Walnut Stain Distress Ink on it- ain't it purty?

Anyways.  I need a new job.  Wait, not need.  WANT.  I want a new job.  It's time.  Anybody want to hire a fun guy?  I can type like a mofo.  I've got tons of office skillz, public relations skillz....bow hunting skillz.  I'm good enough with computers that I won't have to call IT every fifteen minutes because I don't know what to click on... any takers?   I don't require much.  Just cocktail hour every Friday at 3, so a place that frowns on drinking at the office would be a bad match.  Let me know,  I'll start Monday.

-kory

SCRAPCRACK! New Tim Holtz Products!

I just made the horrible, painful mistake of clicking on 'New Products' over at the scrapbook.com 'Superstore.'  Why, why, whyyyyy.

New Tim Holtz products are listed!

The DESTINATIONS Paper Stash!
The CHIT CHAT WORD STICKERS!
The COMMUTE Tissue Tape!!!
The....wait for it....ALPHA CARDS!!!!

I want these things. So much that I want them NOW. I wonder if any of my local stores got them in- if you are reading this and you did, let me know immediately!!! Now, to just hold on until his new dies are released. My little black heart is aching for that typewriter die...

See what's new HERE.

-kory

Lazy Lazy Sunday

I don't want to start sounding like a broken record-

BUT.

My plan for Sunday morning was similar to my plan for Saturday morning.   I planned/hoped/wanted to wake up and be ready for the day early in the morning.  I wanted to have a  full, productive day.  Did that happen?  Nope.  Not even close.

I didn't get to bed until a little after 6AM.

Was I running wild, barhopping and falling in love?  No.  I never left the house.  I was drinking wine, playing with stamps, playing with/learning iMovie on my new MacBook, and watching random stuff on Netflix Instant on the Wii.

What?  Kory?  You have a Wii?!  I didn't think you would play video games!

Well, I don't.  I use it to watch the Netflixes.

I do have one game for it-  Super Mario.  I've loved Super Mario since the 6th grade.  It's a love that shall never die.

So, thanks to Netflix, I didn't get to bed until 6AM.  I slept until about Noon.  The day was ruined.

I did finally sit down and play with some stuff.  Here's what I've got for you!

Yeahp, that's my brand new sexy Octagon Spellbinders set!  Yeah- I had my heart set on HEXAGONS- but everyone is doing hexagons and I want to BE ORIGINAL- oh, who am I trying to impress?  They only had the octagons at Jo-Ann, and the set was marked down at 14.97.  

I didn't have any plan in mind-  I arranged the dies as I did in the above photo, thinking that I would use the negative as a misting template, or maybe as a frame-

But then I saw all those cute little shapes laying there:

I  sanded and roughed them up a bit with my new distressing tool (more about that new wonder, first thing tomorrow morning!!!).  Then, I inked the edges with some Tea Dye and Walnut Stain Distress Inks, stacked the pieces up, largest to smallest- using some foam tabs, for a little dimension...  (I found these boxes of foam tabs at Tuesday Morning for .99 each!)

AAAAAAAAND SURPRISE!!!  A flower!   A more abstract, clean looking flower, actually.  I like it.  

I didn't have any plans for where to go from here-  I made a flower.  Now what?  Well, I needed lotion and soap, so I went to the grocery store.  But my brain must've misfired, because I forgot the lotion and bought cookies and ice cream.  So I had to go back out to buy the lotion- and yes, it was a matter of life and death to get this lotion.   I was out.  Like, sticking my finger into the empty bottle, hoping for a just a drop to take the dryness away.  My skin is sensitive.  It has to be non-scented, sensitive skin lotion.  I was drying up and looking my age.  I HAD TO GET LOTION!  And, since I was going right back out, why not stop in at the nearest Michaels, just in case there was something on clearance?  Well, there was.  Do I have instinct or what?  I found some nice packages of plain 12X12 chipboard marked down to 2.49 per package.  Score!  I love chipboard.  Almost as much as I love lotion.  I was also tricked into buying more Smashbook accessories.  I love that entire line.  More than I love lotion.

I came home, drank my Kool-Aid (yes, I still drink, and love, Kool-Aid) and made this:

Is it a card?  A cover for a mini-book?  A big page accent?  I don't know yet.  But I love it.  Yeahp, I'm still pushing the OCTOBER AFTERNOON doily stamp from the FARMHOUSE line.  And I just bought that nifty Martha Stewart 'Monarch Butterfly' punch.  Don't they look great?  The flourish was cut with my Cricut Expression 2.   

I hope everyone had a great weekend- and come back tomorrow morning, to see what it is that has changed my life for a better!

-kory

Saturday Happ'nins

I had a ton of trouble waking up, today.  I had crazy dreams of wake up and being fully functional before 9AM.

Well, that didn't happen...

I did wake up for a few moments at 8AM, to a phone call from Holly, who told me that she was already up and awake and at ACE Hardware, to get her free quart of paint, to paint a dresser she'd found at Goodwill a few days ago.  I guess it was free quart of paint day. I think I said something like, "Momma.  Get paint for Daddy."  And then I hung up and went back to sleep.

I eventually made it to consciousness.  And showered-ness.  AND THEN IT WAS TIME TO BUY STAMPS.

I don't know what it is- but I can't get enough stamps.  Not only are they fun, but they look good.  Don't stamps look good sitting on a shelf?  Or hell, don't stamps look good jumbled up in a box?

I went to My Hearts Fancy, the home of the coolest stamps in town.  I had my eye on a stamp I saw last week.  And I bought that stamp.  But it's not the stamp I'm showing you, tonight.  I'm saving it for tomorrow.  Tonight, I'm showing you a different stamp.  But it's just as cool.

I don't know what the stamp is called, I'm lazy and a little drunk and not in the mood to even research it- but here it is, people, feast your eyes on this damn beauty: ((Before clicking PUBLISH, I decided to look it up and he's called "SMILE". You can find out more about him HERE.))

Isn't he cute?  He reminds me of myself, as a child.  Yeah, cute.

While the very classy owner of the shop was ringing up a very random selection of items, she told me of something she'd seen done with another one of these stamps-  the head cut in two and positioned so that it looked like it was 'talking' or spitting out words.  Well, this sounded so cool and fun that I ran home and tried it out!

I used Mr. Holtz's 'Gridlock' Texture Fade with my Sizzix BigKick to emboss a 5X5 piece of kraft cardstock from the classy Jo-Ann, and my Magnetic Poetry Word Stamps.  I found them at HALF PRICE BOOKS.  Nearly 100 word stamps for six bucks.  Check your local Half Price Books, or look online- they have several sets, and they are very worth it- I love these!  I  rubbed the embossed card with some Tea Dye and Walnut Stain- and I colored the little guy with one of my BRAND NEW DISTRESS MARKERS and also some regular Scattered Straw Distress Ink, using a Tsukineko Fantastix Coloring Tool Brush Point.  I pushed it on the ink pad, pushed it on a water droplet that I'd sprayed on my Craft Sheet.  You can't tell from the photo, or maybe you can, but some of the words are 'flat' and some I attached with some foam tape.

Alright- I'm off to drink another classy glass of wine fresh from its classy box that it's calling from and then, I'm gonna play with my stamps.  Yes, the nightclubs are calling, too.  I might be back with more fun, but then again- I might end up at a bar.  Who can say?

-kory

The 12 Tags Of 2012: March

Thursday Night:

I got home from yet another rough 'n tumble day at the office.  I parked myself in front of the TV for a couple of episodes of 'Leave It To Beaver' while I unwound from the day at war and pondered tomorrow's PAYDAY-FRIDAY celebration.  I'd nearly resigned myself to a Benadryl and praying for early sleep, when I noticed that Mr. Holtz had a new post up-

The March tag of The 12 Tags of 2012 was up!

So I un-parked my ass from the sofa and parked it at my worktable.

I grabbed a pickaxe and mined STASH MOUNTAIN, gathering anything that reminded me of Mr. Holtz's tag.  Some butterfly stickers, a few Distress Inks, a tag... then I dried up and considered going back to the sofa.  No, I want to be productive.  I want to be creative.  I want a glass of wine.

I began playing around- and I'm gonna admit, I'm rather proud of my tag!  Is anyone else tagging along?

First, I 'wrinkle free distressed' the tag with a combination of Distress Inks in Victorian Velvet, Broken China, and Scattered Straw.  I felt they were rather Spring-y colors!  I've had the woodgrain stamp for a few months and haven't had a use for it, until tonight.  It's a Hobby Lobby brand stamp- rather plain, but I like the fainter/lighter (?) woodgrain on this stamp- it isn't an overpowering grain, get what I'm saying?  I was also surprised/impressed that I lined it up so well when I stamped the second half of the card.  I'm usually off just enough to drive me crazy.  I used Walnut Stain Distress Ink for the woodgrain stamp.

I embossed the upper right and bottom left of the tag with a Sizzix folder that I didn't know I had- and definitely don't even remember buying.  It must've been on clearance.  I am pretty sure it was with a Christmas-themed set, because its companions were a snowflake strip and a generic 'card-sized' folder.  Hmmm.  Really don't have a clue when I got it, where it came from, or what it's called.  After I embossed the flourishes, I sanded it a bit and rubbed some Tea Dye ink onto the exposed tag.

I heat embossed the Prima bird with a crown. Does anybody know where this trend came from?  Birds with crowns?  I have a few, and even have a porcelain bird with a crown on one of my bookshelves.

And yeahp!  I had to use my October Afternoon doily stamp!  After stamping the doily onto some kraft cardstock, cut that little treasure out and rubbed some Picket Fence Distress Stain over it- it still didn't look quite right, so I did the edges with a little more Broken China and Scattered Straw.

The 'title' tag, I just used some more kraft cardstock.  When I sprayed water on my woodgrain stamp to clean it off- I shook it and let it drip onto the scrap of cardstock, then stamped it with the 'Journey' sentiment.  I distressed it, and attached it and the doily to the tag with my beloved Tiny Attacher.  I love that thing.

How about a close up?

If you've made a tag based on the March tag, let me know- I'd love to see!

-kory

Book Sales & Rubber Stamps

I'm going to be totally honest- this last week sucked a zombie's butt.  It was horrible.  Work was stressful. To a sickening degree.  And why am I talking about zombie butt?  Because, as I was trying to think of something disgusting to compare my week with, I looked up and saw a zombie on TV.  Have I told you how much I like zombie movies?  Even bad, cheap zombie moves on the Chiller Channel.  Have you watched any movies on the Chiller Channel?  They are worse than the 'movies' I made with friends when I was eleven and my Dad bought a video camera.  We had bigger budgets than these things.

So yeah, bad week.  But the weekend started off well enough- leaving the office early on Friday for one of my favorite annual traditions.  The Friend of the Metropolitan Library Booksale!  We go early, around one, and line up with the other die hard booksale fans.  The sale doesn't open until 5- so it's a long wait.  What blows my mind is that when we arrive at about 1, there are already about fifty people ahead of us in line!  In the picture below, taken about an hour before the sale is to open you can see all the people who are BEHIND us!

I've been going to this book sale for as long as I can remember.  My Mom used to take me.  It's a tradition, dammit.

But now, the tradition is to go, with Holly, to 'the presale,' which is the night before the sale opens to the general public.  For a ten dollar donation to join 'The Friends,' you can get into the presale and find even more books to hoard.  You do know that I'm a hoarder, right?  Well, because of that show- Hoarders- I've become more aware of my habits.  So I limited myself to books, this year.  Instead of buying so many books that a nice volunteer has to find a dolly and help me load the books into my truck, I only allowed myself to buy what I could carry.  What I could carry in a big bag looped around my neck, that is...

I always walk/run directly to the 'Fine Arts' section, to look for any scripts/plays/theatre books- and I gotta hit the table FAST.  There always seems to be another group that heads right to this table first, believe it or not, who are trying to beat me to the scripts!  I LOVE reading plays.  I found a couple of good theatre history books, this year.

There are so many books EVERYWHERE that my head gets a little spin-y, and my eyes glaze over.  My next stop is the Hobbies and Crafts table.  This is where things start to get a little violent.

The library sale is very popular with what seems to be an entire compound full of some religious sect.  I'm not sure what they are and I definitely don't want to offend anybody- I'm not making fun of them, I'm just saying- if you're going to grab a book out of my hands, I'm going to make fun of your sideburns, lady.  So yeah, I battled a squadron of long-jean-skirted women with sideburns for a couple of craft books.  I'm not a proud person.  As I reached for a book about lettering- I saw Holly's head bob up out of a writhing mass of jean-skirts, waving a book- she tosses it to me, which gets me about ten evil glares.  It's 'The Joy of Scrapbooking.'  It's outdated but fun!  I think I have mentioned it- but I'm gonna mention it again- I LOVE outdated or vintage craft and/or cooking books.   "Here's a recipe that's just PERFECT after an energetic evening of folk dancing!" is one of my favorite lines from one of my old cookbooks.  HIGH-larious.

Here's a shot of my 'craft book haul.'

I grabbed another old dictionary to use- it's full of those great old line drawings and beautiful pages, that, for a dollar, you don't mind using for art.  One of the old dictionaries that I bought last year (I bought more than one, last year!) was already a bit of an art piece on its own.  Its previous owner had cut out articles from newspapers and bits of old bills and pasted them inside the covers.  Bunch of random stuff- clips from articles about when daylight savings time begins, birthstone lists, part of a water bill- and it's beautiful.  I can't bear to cut it up- I feel it was so special to the lady who owned it and glued this stuff in, and because I FOUND it, I feel that I was meant to be its guardian.  You can go 'awwww' right now, if you understand what I mean.  If not, you can make fun of me.  Go ahead.  I'm tough and can beat you up. AND- check that out- SCRAPBOOKING FOR DUMMIES!  Isn't that hilarious?  I don't know why I think it's so funny.  I just do.  Sue me.  The big pinky purple book is the book about lettering- it has some great examples of fonts to write by hand- and not just calligraphy- great looking handwriting examples.  I love to write by hand.  It's a dying art, people.  I must keep it alive.

Saturday:  I woke up, bright and early, with one goal.  To visit a new(ish) rubber stamping store.  How lucky is OKC?  We have a good number of stores- everything from the big holy trinity of Hobby Lobby, Michaels and Jo-Ann, to the perfectly perfect small local-owned stores (Hobby Lobby is technically locally owned- yes- it is 'Oklahoma owned and operated, as we're always told).  Our local art stores are great.  Paper Crown, Paper Arts, and Whole Lotta Scrap- and now- My Heart's Fancy.  That's the rubber stamping store that I went to, today.

I'd recently heard of My Heart's Fancy from a coworker, Miss Chris.  She's the scrappy lady I work with who gave me her little Cricut when she upgraded to the Expression.  Was that a blessing or a curse?  She told me about this shop and gave me the link to their website- and I was finally able to make it out there, this afternoon.  They're only open until 6, weekdays- so I can't go after work.  And they're closed on Sundays.  And too far to make it there and back on my lunch hours during the week- so Saturday it has to be!

I'd been checking out on their blog- here, for the last two weeks, so even thought I had a good idea of the stuff they carry- I was still awed upon walking in, wow- you know that feeling- when you're walking into a store that is filled with stuff you don't see at other stores?  Stuff  you might've only seen online, and wanted to see up close, to touch and hold?  I'm a stroke and tap shopper.  I must run my fingers across items and/or tap them.  Why?  I don't know.  We'll explore that.

I told myself I wouldn't spend more then thirty bucks.  I only went over a dollar.  It could've easily been in the hundreds.  And with all the items that I put on the little next time list in my head,  the next trip could do lots of damage.

I ended up with the 'dot matrix/gridlock' embossing folder from Tim Holtz.  I'd had my eyes on that one for a long time!   But I'd never seen it in a store.  And I needed to run my fingers over it before buying!  I also picked up some more 7 Gypsies paper tape- the one that looks like stamps, a ruler and something else?  Yeah, that one.  I also bought three dominos AND the coolest wood-mounted stamp I've ever laid hands on-  wanna see it?   Hell yes, you say?  Okay!  Here it is!

It's from Catslife Press.  I've never heard of this company before- but I just went to their website, to find out the name of this AAAMAZING stamp.  As far as I can find, it's known as nothing else besides 594F. Isn't this a wonderful stamp?!?!  It's cool.  It's strange.  It's fun.  It's classy in a cool, strange, fun way.  It's everything that makes my blood pump.  Catslife Press is now my favorite stamp company.  Sorry, Mr. Holtz, but you'll still always have a special place in my little black heart.  I can't wait to get a few more of the Catslife Press stamps as soon as I go back to this store!  I hope I didn't frighten the owner and she hasn't banned me from the premises!  Just kidding, I was on my quietest, best, most polite behavior.  I do have manners, no matter what you might've heard.

Alright, I'm off to play with my stamps.  I'll be back soon with a special post about the United States Postal Service and the joy they provide.  In the meantime, why don't you check out My Heart's Fancy, and if you're in OKC, give them a visit and tell them Kory sent you.  They won't have the slightest clue who you're talking about, so that'll make it fun.

-kory

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!  I truly hope you get to hear that from someone special, and not a crafty, rambling drunk. 

How did I celebrate Valentine's Eve?  I made cards, that's what!   I made the above card a few weeks ago, actually.   I made it during a fit of craftcitement, when I bought a new set of LABELS dies from SPELLBINDERS.   I think that is a new embossing folder used, up there, too.  It must've been a shopping binge and cardmaking day.  But it's all in blackout, now.  All I can do is make a wild guess that the day involved a binge at the HobLobs and a purging cardmaking session.

Here is a card that I made last night:

The base of the card is from a pack of 1.00 tag cards that I found in the Dollar Bins at MICHAELS.  I've had them for ages, but never used them- but now that I did, it's one of those 'where you been all my life, yo?!' moments.  Aren't they cute?!   I just covered it with a piece of paper from CRATE and a heart with arrow from the TIM HOLTZ Valentine's die.  Mr. Holtz even makes the best shaped hearts.  How's he do that?!

Alright, CoWorker Beverly just handed TWO Valentine's NERDS ROPES.  My favorite candy.  I gotta go, but HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!  I'll be back later in the day with a layout from my SHOW BIDNESS album!

-kory