It's Almost Christmas: So How 'Bout Some Cards?

I like making Christmas cards more than I like Christmas. 

My family doesn't really celebrate holidays.  I don't know why - or even if there is a reason- but we really don't do much of anything.  I'm the only one who even puts up a tree.  I probably wouldn't even do that if I hadn't bought a perfect vintage aluminum tree from an antiques store during a prescription painkiller induced Christmas euphoria a few years back and I'm determined to get my money's worth.

So- I like making Christmas cards.  And I like them to be fairly simple.  Because then I'm less likely to knock somebody out when they throw it away.

One of my 'design techniques' is my use of ... 'placeholders,' I guess I'll call them...  I'm sure there's an actual word for this, but I don't know it-  when I get a new die, I use it right away with some plain (or scrap) cardstock.  I keep all these 'samples' in a box on my desk- and when I'm trying to come up with a layout or card, I go through the box and pull out the pieces that grab my attention.  I move these placeholders all around on the page to see what I think looks best.  I recommend it- it definitely keeps me using the dies that I have available!

I'm obsessed with this Cuttlebug embossing folder set.  It's called JAMES' SET.  It's classy, ladies and gentlemen.  The folder I used on the above card is my favorite, but the other three in the set are fine, too.  Another great feature is that there's a slot on the top hinge- so's you can easily emboss the center of a tag OR emboss a long strip for a border.  I also used some of Mr. Holtz's TINSEL TWINE.  The sentiment is a one dollar stamp from a bin at MICHAELS.  I stamped it in Tsukineko's London Fog ink and colored in the alternating boxes with a Worn Lipstick Distress Marker. 

My next 'white card.'  I embossed the wing with a Tim Holtz embossing folder- from the nearly 3inX4in French Connection set- and cut it out.  I embossed the edge of the card with some snowflakes and added the sentiment.  Too easy!

One more 'white card!'  Even thought it's mostly red- I'm counting it.  I love this Tim Holtz Santa stamp.  Really love it.  It's always sitting in plain view.  Because just looking at it makes me smile.  But I've had trouble coming up with ways to use it- it's so big, and- well, I don't know.  But I adore it.  I added the 'seal' with a pop-dot.  It's from My Mind's Eye. 

That's it for KORY'S KARDS, today!  I'll be back soon with more!  Because every card I make is different.  As much as I intend to, and TRY to- I just can't come up with a design and assembly-line it-  even when I do attempt to do THAT-  each one still comes out different.  I just love to play with the paper too much, I guess.

-kory

"NOEL" Christmas Banner

I really can't get enough of the banner craze.  I eat, sleep and Pinterest banners. 

At a local shop, My Heart's Fancy, I've had the damn fun chance to participate in two banner 'swaps.'

For anyone who is not 'in the life,'  a swap is when a group of people all make a series (or collection of) of things and then send them all to one person, who re-distibutes the things back to the people who submitted things.  Did I explain that well?  Maybe someone, someone more into the swap-world, will jump in and give a better description.  They're always happening around on the online scrap-sites.  And they often come with a fair amount of drama- someone always seems to be 'flaking,' about to 'flake', or has 'flaked' in the past.  'Flaking' is when you don't do what you promised to do in the swap- whether it's not sending in your stuf or if you're the one in charge of the swap, absconding with either all the stuff or the postage, or whatever.  It's its own whole thing, let me tell you. 

I've never participated in an online swap, because I hate going to post office more than I hate doing laundry.  Seriously.  I've had the same DVD from Netflix since I opened my account because I don't know where my outgoing mail slot is at and I don't want to go to the post office. 

But I will do a swap at My Heart's Fancy- because, well, it's more personal-feeling to me AND I don't have to go to the post office- I just gotta MAKE the things and then drive them up to the shop.  I did have to get over my fear of people getting a piece of mine, holding it up, and exclaiming, "I MADE SUCH AND SUCH AND SUCH AND *THIS* IS THE KIND OF THING I GET IN RETURN?!" 

Okay- to make a long story short- here are some of my results from the 2012 My Heart's Fancy Christmas Banner Swap!

I used Prima's 'LEDGER' stack for my most of my pennant bases.  I love that stack.  I made a huge (if you consider that huge) rosette from kraft cardstock and layered on a 'Lacy Oval'  cut from a Spellbinders die.  On top of that, I placed a 'Styled Label' cut from thick chipboard with the Tim Holtz die that I 'painted' with the amazing BRUSHED PEWTER Distress Stain.  Do you have the new metallic Distress Stains?  They're too cool for words.  Trust me.  They'll make anything look like metal and, well, just plain incredible. Aaaaand on top is a chipboard letter that I covered with silver glitter.  At this point, my aim was to stay away from traditional Christmas colors and try to make something that appeared more timeless, yet still Christmas-sy.  Christmassy?  Christmas-y?

Aaaand then I just had to have something RED, so there went my first intention for something pale pink and silver and cream.  Besides, nobody is getting the entire banner, so I figured to just make each one independent of each other.  Excuses, excuses.  But dangit, I suddenly had the urge for a red glitter reindeer.  I love Mr. Holtz's Reindeer Flight die.  I love those precious damn deer. 

And here's where I thought I needed to use green.

And here's where I completely abandoned my original idea and: more red AND a 'Santa' Bingo card.  The kraft 'ornate' frame was cut from the 'Happy Hauntings' Cricut Cartridge... and I had a plan to use it front and center on another pennant, until I noticed that there were bats in the design motif on the sides.  I thought I had been so so clever to cut off the majorly Halloween-y part at the top- and then SURPRISE!  Bats!  So.. it ended up there- hidden enough to cover the bats.  I guess I could've glittered the entire thing and claimed it was a foreign Christmas tradition of 'The Christmas Bats,' but I thought, no, not with all the Wikipedia and smartasses around the internets.

As part of the swap's directions, I also made another set of N-O-E-L pennants.  But for some reason, I didn't photograph them all- I can't remember if it was because I was in a hurry or if it was because I didn't like them- but now I am thinking there were others I liked more than the ones above.  My life is one complicated moment after another, I tell you, and this is just the crafts. 

My FAVORITE part of the banner swap were the instructions to create three 'decorative' banners- no letters.  Just whatever I wanted to die cut, cut, glue and glitter.  Oh, that would be a good craft rap song.  Die CUT, CUT, GLUE AND GLITTER.  Yo.  Crafts.  Let's tip over a cop car.

I made the pleated ruffle with a piece of vintage dictionary paper.  Where do I get all of my classy vintage dictionaries that I can cut up without a shred of guilt?  At the Friends of the Library Booksale.  Every February.  1.00 each.  I used a strip of seam binding over the edge of the pleated dictionary ruffle.  Some metal photo corners (Hobby Lobby brand), a piece of embossed white letterpress paper, another red glitter reindeer, and a tag cut from a piece of some brands (sorry) Christmas paper from last year.  I am now obsessed with pleated dictionary ruffles.  Look for more of that, ladies and gentlemen.

On top of this pennant, I used a pre-made sheet music ruffle from Bazzill.  Which is where I got (stole?) the idea to make my own paper ruffles.  Theirs are not made from actual sheet music/newspapers- but appear to be printed on near-cardstock.  They're very thick and sturdy.  I'm now confused as to why I used an uncolored piece of kraft 'greenery' (kraftery?) there under the rosette.  That just looks....bad. 


And now, for my favorite piece of my NOEL banner:

I made the 3-D ornament with a Tim Holtz Carved Ornaments die and (yeah, more) dictionary paper.  I cut a stack of dictionary with a piece of thick chipboard.  I folded each piece in half and (very carefully) glued them together side of back to side of back (now THAT makes sense, doesnt it?!) until they fanned out when glued to the chipboard backing.  I love how it looks and I want to make more... the only trouble is that it's hard to find a spare 90 minutes to MAKE EACH ONE.  Who knows, maybe I'd get faster with each one.  But I love this one and it was hard to part with...

I couldn't resist but to share another angle.

Okay.  I've got work to do and it doesn't have anything to do with Glossy Accents.  I'll see y'all later when I'm back with some CARDS! 

-kory

Movers and Shapers - Base Tray or No Base Tray?

I am addicted to dies.  And the Movers and Shapers dies from Sizzix and Mr. Holtz are just more crack for my scrap pipe. 

I've been picking up the Movers and Shapers since the Halloween Mini-Cat and Raven set (Remember those? So cool!). 

When I bought that first set, I thought, OHHHH now I gotta buy the MOVERS AND SHAPERS BASE TRAY!!!  But then, as I picked up the BASE TRAY- the Vintage Cabinet Card die caught my eye, and I thought, "Wow, I love that die and this cat and raven will fit inside it- so I'll just buy it and put off the base tray, for now..."

Then, as I should've expected, my Movers and Shapers collection grew and grew- and when I happened upon the Mini-Baroque die-  you know- the 'not so mini' baroque die? - well, I found myself saying, I NEED MORE ROOM!  I'VE GOTTA GET THE BASE TRAY!

When I went to buy the base tray, my hard earned twenty dollars clutched in my hand and another patch on the knees of my britches and a smear of coal on my forehead-  the WREATH AND BOW set caught my eye... and I put off the base tray for yet another time.

So, I get home.  And a real-life Christmas miracle happened!  I pulled out my Vintage Cabinet Card die for what is obviously its 3000th use and OH NO!  The DIE just FELL RIGHT OUT!

And then I shouted!  OH PRAISE THE LORD!  IT'S NOT BROKEN!  IT'S A MINI-BASE TRAY!!!

I loaded up my dies and went to BigKick town!

Now, I'm not saying that you should run to your craftroom and pop your dies out of their cases- and I'm still much in need of a Base Tray- because just like apartments and paper storage options, we can always use more space.  But, if you're in a pinch and you want to spend your next twenty bucks on that other set of Movers and Shapers instead of the Base Tray-  well, you know what I'm saying...

-kory

how is it nearly CHRISTMAS?!

For reals- how is it this close to Christmas, THIS FREAKING SOON?!

How fast does time fly, these days?  It seems like it was just two days ago that I was trying to decide what I wanted to be for Halloween. 

I'm here to share a Christmas project with you classy people.  Yeahp.  I made a lovely piece just exploding with Christmas spirit.  Unlike me.  I'm not full of the Christmas spirit, yet.  But I will be tomorrow evening, when I stop by the liquor store after work.

So what did I make?  A banner.  Well, not really- it doesn't hang.  But it is banneresque.  It's made to sit on a mantle.  Or a bookshelf.  Or whatever surface is available. 

There is a TON of hot DIE action going on up there- can you spot them all?

I was playing around with Mr. Holtz's 'Vintage Cabinet Card' die (trying to make a cute card) when I noticed it standing up and thought I'M MAKE A BANNER!  Because, that's the thought that seems to be running rampant through every crafter's mind right now-  "Ooooh lookit!  I'MA MAKE-A BANNER!"

But again, this doesn't hang.  So we'll call it a SITTING BANNER.  Catchy, huh?

There's a close-up of the middle/word part.  Again- can you spot all the dies?   The only bits not done with a die are the letters.  I used the Cricut Expression 2 to cut the letters.  And how fun is Mr. Holtz's PINECONE die?!  It took me three attempts to get the pinecone to look right.  Then I gave in and watched his so-so-helpful video.  Yes, I break many male stereotypes but I still put up a helluva fight when it comes to asking for directions.  And boy are my arms tired.  I'll be here all week, folks!

I am obsessed with making these pinecones.  And: Since you can also use the pinecone die to make flowers- well, how is that for something being worth its money?  Another die worth its money?  The Festive Greenery strip die.  I love cutting a few different colored strips of paper and arranging and rearranging all the bits.  So fun.  So adaptable. 

And here's the parting shot: a close up of the end-pieces.  Why?  Because I love that reindeer die.  They look so...classy.  Have you notice how much I love that word?  Classy.... it just sounds...fun.  And classy.

What's everyone else up to, in the Christmas craft department?  An advent calendar or banner?!  You don't say! 

-kory

Thanksgiving: a card and Thanksgiving wishes



I can't believe it's already time for Thanksgiving.  It doesn't feel like Thanksgiving.  Why?  Because of the warm weather (thanks, global warming!) or because I haven't had any time to make HAND TURKEYS (thanks, work) or because I just don't care much for Thanksgiving?   I don't know. 

I'll be surprised if this post even catches any views- everyone seems too busy updating their Facebook statuses with daily "I'm thankful for..." posts.  That's something I'm thankful for- those of you that've not jumped on that bandwagon.  Actually, I think I'll go update my F'book status with that and see how many people I can anger. 

No, I won't do that-  it's the holiday season and I've gotta be nice.  So how about I share a little Thanksgiving card that I whipped up during a lunch hour break on an especially stressful day at work, recently?

I am in love with that embossing folder.  It's from Tim Holtz/Sizzix, of course.  What a great frame!  I used a piece of that new embossing folder sized KraftCore paper.  How convenient is that?! 

I also used four dies (also from Tim Holtz/Sizzix) to make this card:

Tattered Leaves

Tattered Banners

Autumn Gatherings

Festive Greenery

Okay- so do you have the last two on that little list?  Autumn Gatherings and Festive Greenery?  They're both Mr Holtz's "Decorative Strip" dies.  And they're incredible.  If you don't have them- go get them.  They're so freakin' versatile.  I have too much fun cutting about fifteen strips of paper and then arranging and rearranging and playing with all of the little pieces of holiday decor fun.  If you have to choose just one, go with 'Festive Greenery.'  It includes some flourishes and different pine-y wreath-y bits of beautifulness that work wonders. 

photos from SCRAPBOOK.COM

See all those great pieces?  I love the tiny leaves and branches on the Autum Gatherings die, too. 

I'll be back, soon, with more fun!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

-kory

does anyone still wear a hat?

A few days ago, the lovely lady who worked on the recent production of HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH with me posted on Facebook- looking for ideas on what to wear to a semi-formal steampunk themed masquerade birthday party.  A party happening this Saturday night.  My mind immediately sparked up- I've got gears and clocks and assorted bits shooting out my @$$! 

I know what you're thinking-  lovely language, Kory- but isn't this supposed to be a craft blog?

I offered to help and instanly thought A FASCINATOR!

She delivered a 'mini-bowler hat' that she found at a costume shop and I dragged out anything that looked appropriately steamy.

And here's what I came up with:

I cut the gears with the Tim Holtz GADGET GEARS die to use as a base- I embossed them with some aged copper embossing powder, then layered clock faces, game spinners, some random gear charms and a metal hand from my 'embellishment bin.'  I made spirals of copper wire by twisting it around pencils then stretching it out a bit...

I even sewed a new trim around the brim of the hat.  It's a nice lookin' trim, ain't it?  Would you guess I found it for 1.00 in a bin at Michaels? 

I've discovered a few things while making this hat:

1)  I LOVE making hats.
2)  I need to use my metal bits more- there's no sense hoarding them in their little labeled bins, is there?
and
3)  God bless you, Glossy Accents.  You hold like a mother.


-kory

Check me out at SCRAPUTANTE!

Hey there!!!

Happy Halloween!  A day late- so I guess I should say:  I hope you HAD a happy Halloween!

And speaking of Halloween and all the happiness the holiday brings to me- check out my nifty Halloween project over at the Scraputante blog.  And buy something, cuz she's having a sale.  I'd like to say the sale is in honor of me.  So I will.  Buy some product, because it's on sale in honor of ME!

What is my Halloween project?  It's a pretty love child made from the products of Graphic45 and the great Tim Holtz.  It's this:

But the backside is even prettier (in my opinion).  Wanna see my backside?  Head over to SCRAPUTANTE and check it out!!! 

-kory

BOO! A Halloween Banner

I can't get enough Halloween.  It's always been my favorite holiday.  I love going into every costume shop that I drive past.  Even though they are all almost identical and stocked with most of the same exact product- I'm still thrilled.  The only thing I don't like about Halloween stores are the dip$h!ts blocking an aisle while they giggle over the "Dr. Seymour Snatch, Gynecologist" costume, as if they've never seen it before or as if it were even hilarious.

I also like to decorate for Halloween.  I usually go through obsessions with a specific 'item.'  For many years, I had to make a scarecrow for the front porch.  One year, it was ghosts.  One year, it was 'googly eyes.'  You know those plastic googly eyes?  I thought I HAD TO GLUE THEM TO EVERYTHING.  Initially, I only bought them so I could glue them to a kleenex.  After I'd wrapped the kleenex around the top of the Tootsie Pop, of course.  But then, I couldn't stop.  I glued those eyes to everything. 

What am I obsessed with this year?   The same thing everyone else in the craftosphere has been obsessed with for a year- BANNERS AND GARLANDS!!!

I would love to think of myself as being so unique and cool as to avoid a trend.  But I'm not.  I like a trend as much as the next hexagon-hugger.  And banners are so freakin' cool.

So here it is, Kory's Halloween Banner:

As you can see, it only says BOO.  My first 'want' was to do an entire HAPPY HALLOWEEN banner- but then I thought of all the letters.  So BOO it was.  Not that I'm lazy, I just didn't know where I'd hang such a monstrosity.  (get it?)

I wasn't content to just hang the pennants on a string.  I've been dying to use my new Tim Holtz stamps, from Stampers Anonymous: CLASSICS #6.  They look like borders- filled with distressed text and all kinds of beautifulness.  I stamped the 'crown' strip looking one a few times onto some manila cardstock and cut them apart.  Then, with about five different colors of Distress Inks, I colored them into some nice fall shades and flicked some water on them for some splotchy creepy beauty.

Here's some close ups of each flag:

I used a slightly smaller sized pennant for the 'end-caps.'  After cutting each pennant, thank you Spellbinders, I embossed the edge.  You know, as you do and as is the beauty of Spellbinders.  However, I don't emboss with my Spellbinders the way everyone else (and the way Spellbinders say to do it).  It just seems like so much trouble to run the things through a second time with the rubber mat to get the embossed edge- especially for such a simple shape.  After I run the die through to cut the paper, I just lay it on the table and run my stylus along the edge of the die- and zip, zip, zip- each one is embossed.  Takes seconds! 

Then, I stamped the pennant with a wood background stamp and inked the edges.

For the cat's base, I used a plain 'scalloped circle.'  I painted it with some plain white acrylic paint, distressed and inked the edges and stamped with a Tim Holtz text stamp from one of the new Halloween sets. 

I cut the cat with some black KraftCore the small Movers and Shapers die and roughed it up with some sandpaper Then, I spent about an hour obsessing over and admiring the beautiful wonder that is KraftCore.  How amazing is this stuff?!

I cut the letters out of more KraftCore, using my Cricut and the Happy Hauntings cartridge.  I sanded them, inked randomly and smeared some Rock Candy stickles on each letter. 

I took some plain twine (from Dollar Tree- I love their 'kitchen twine!) and colored it with some Brushed Pewter Metallic and Bard Door Distress Stains.  I threaded the twine through the tops of each pennant and then put the entire thing together with the border strips with some brads.  Now that I'm looking at it again, I wish I'd pulled out my Texture Hammer and banged those brads a bit!  Oh well, there's always tonight.  No, there's not TONIGHT.  Tonight, I've gotta run home, finish sewing my Halloween costume (I'm gonna be a werewolf) and go to a Halloween party.  Yeah- I made my own costume with some fake fur (what a mess) and my sewing machine.  It was like Project Runway up in that house last night!

Supplies:

Cardstock:

     Plain Manila

     KraftCore: Black

    

Sizzix: Tim Holtz

Cat/Raven Movers and Shapers

Spellbinders: Nestabilities

     Scalloped Circles

     Lacey Pennants

     Lacey Circles

Stamps:

     Stampers Anonymous: Tim Holtz, Classics #6

     Mini Halloween 3

Cricut Expression 2 and HAPPY HAUNTINGS cartridge

Distress Inks:

     Vintage Photo

     Aged Mahogany

     Rusty Hinge

     Black Soot

     Dusty Concord

     Frayed Burlap

     Scattered Straw

Distress Stains:

     Brushed Pewter Metallic

    Barn Door

Twine: from Dollar Tree

Brads

White Acrylic Paint

Sandpaper

TAGGING ALONG! Mr. Holtz's HALLOWEEN tag!

Heyyy there, everyone!

What a crazy busy week!  Along with everything else that pops up during a regular Monday through Friday, I was also somewhat busy with the production of FRANKENSTEIN at the theatre I work for-  what a production!  And a great set.  If you're in the OKC area, get yo'self downtown and see FRANKENSTEIN!

We've reached the second half of October.  Halloween is speeding towards me and I still don't know what my costume is gonna be...  decisions, decisions.  But at least I DID finally sit down and make my version of Tim Holtz's OCTOBER tag!

I LOVED the technique he taught us with this tag-  smashing and smooshing up the tissue paper when gluing it down and smearing acrylic paints on top.  It was fun and just looks great!  I didn't have a roll of tissue wrap - so I used a 'newsprint' background stamp on the tissue paper, first.  It looked pretty similar.

The skull was stamped and embossed before I ever-so skillfully cut it out, using my nifty Cutterbees.  Those scissors are little gifts from God, aren't they?!  I also embossed the 'Happy Halloween,' using some gold embossing powder.  The 'Happy Halloween' stamp is one of my favorites- I found it in the dollar bin at Jo-Ann last year.

There's some detail of the newsprint and colors.  I LOVE this technique!  It's somewhat similar to what I did on another Halloween project- but it was a 'technique' that I kinda made up as I went- I'm excited to add paint to more projects, now-  I LOVE PAINT!

Here's the full view of my version of Mr. Holtz's October tag:

Hope all y'all are having a great weekend!  Be back soon!

-kory

a day off ... and: CKC / Tulsa purchases!!!

The show that I'm stage managing opens THIS Friday night!!!  We had a technical rehearsal that lasted until a little past 11pm, last night.  What's a technical rehearsal?  In English, "technical rehearsal" translates to "pure living hell."  Want to punish a misbehaving child?  Send them to me, I'll make them sit next to me as we run light cues while stopping and starting a rehearsal FOR TEN HOURS.  They will never misbehave again...

But TODAY - ladies and gentlemen - I have had a day off...

It's been so so nice.

How did I manage a day off when the show opens on FRIDAY?  Because the rented sound system is being delivered, installed and tested.  And I don't know nothin' bout installing or testing no sound systems!

SO:  I thought I would use this moment to share with you MY CKC / TULSA SHOPPING HAUL!

I know you've been holding your breath.  Haha.

But I love seeing what people buy.  Why?  No idea.  And I love sharing.  Because you never know, I might be stuck and ask for advice and one of you lovely people with good memories might say, "Kory! Grab those classy embellishments you scored at CKC!"

Take a look at these classy alpha stickers and ... other sticker-y fun!

Classy embellishments- lots of the hit "9 to 5" collection from October Afternoon, the kickass wood cameras from Studio Calico that everybody and their mom are stickin' on stuff AND those very cool letter tiles...

A plastic bag of Tim Holtz 'singles,' and other randomness AND some fun brads- sock monkeys, robots, gears, taxi cabs.  Sock monkey ribbon and mustache ribbon!  (The sock monkey brads and the matching ribbon and mustache ribbon were gifts from Darla!)

Can't forget the PAPER!  Tons of papers!  Most of it from Studio Calico and My Mind's Eye...for a quarter a sheet!  You couldn't beat that deal with one of Joan's wire hangers!  A couple of small pads.  Some neato twill chevron ribbon.

And OF COURSE: the TAPE!  I had to fight myself to keep from buying one of every roll that I stumbled upon... and when I say fight, I mean fight.  Even the ugly rolls tried to jump into my hand.

And the best part about CKC?  Apart from buying all the cool stuff?  I got in for FREE!  Yes!  For FREE- mynsecond favorite four letter 'F' word.  When I approached the woman selling tickets, she glanced at me, handed me a wristband and said, 'Oh, you don't hafta pay, honey.'   I guess she assumed me to be an uninterested man who was there against me will.   Sadly, somdid many ofmthe women inside the convention- as they pushed past me, grabbed things I was reaching for as if my uninterested was keeping them from picking the item up and made annoying noises as if I was the one taking up valuable space.  I almost said something rather rude to one nasty person who kept hitting me with a giant bag- but then I realized it was her ass.   Not every person was nasty, tho- one fun lady that started talking with me as we dug thru a mountain of paper began declaring, to the crowd, that she was taking me home to marry her daughter.

So that's it for my CKC shopping excitement.  I loved it.  And Tanya and Darla made the best CKCompanions.  It better be a tradition from now on, ladies!

See you soon with MORE Halloween excitement!

-kory

Halloween Cards!

I found myself with a spare ninety minutes, yesterday!

An entire hour and a half all to myself, before I had to head back downtown for more rehearsal.  That's right- we open the first show of the season IN ONE WEEK.  Two days ago, the director fell ten feet to the stage floor.  Why was he on top of the set and how did he fall to the ground?  I don't know.  What I do know is that he must be part cat, as he somehold tucked and rolled and walked away.  Six more days of rehearsal and the show opens and I'll have a little more time to myself!  Hurray! 

Sooooo- what did I do with my ninety minutes, last night?  I made Halloween cards!  Yeahp.  Continuing with my love for all things Halloween, I grabbed my brand new 6X6 paper pad from MY MIND'S EYE and my new Tim Holtz stamps and had some fun.

I love to emboss.  The 'Happy Halloween' up there was embossed using Martha Stewart's embossing powder- which seems to work the 'best' for me- it melts so smooth and gives such a professional touch.  It's a wonder I made another card, after this one- I spent about fifteen minutes running my finger over the embossing.

I made this one with a stamped scrap of tissue paper (left over from a project that I've yet to show you!).  I used two strips of My Mind's Eye paper which was left over from the next card I'ma show you, a strip of Mr. Holtz's Halloween tissue tape, two little staples- all on a base made from a dark silvery-gray cardstock which I stamped a 'screen' background onto with Archival Ink.

My last card is my favorite.  I stamped a tag cut from Mr. Holtz's 'Tiny Tabs and Tags' die with an image from the new My Mind's Eye Halloween stamp set.  I cut a strip off the My Mind's Eye paper and flipped it over and covered the seam with a bit of black ribbon.  I tied the jute cord around and into a bow onto the tag and a button from Prima (which I colored black with a Distress Marker- it was blue). 

Where did I get that classy jute cord, you ask?  FROM THE DOLLAR TREE! 

Yeahp- that's right.  I found yet more craft supplies down at Da Dee Tee.  It seems, lately, that I'm finding more craft supplies at non-craft stores.  In fact, I'm working up a blog idea post all about that- but until then, if you're in need of some classy jute cord- perfect for Halloween AND Christmas- head down to the DT, fight through the crowd of humanity and grab some craft supplies.

later!

-kory

New Layout Time!

Today's my birthday.  No, don't get excited.  I'm not.  I'm just... older.  I am excited that I had the day off of work.  What did I do to celebrate?  I slept until 10am.  I went to Paper Crown.  Bought a couple pages of classy papers.  Bought some new tape.  Bought some new letter stickers.  I came home and MADE A LAYOUT!

I don't know if I'm too happy about it- but I'm happy enough...  There was a change of title/theme ideas halfway through.  There was a tried title placement accident/ordeal which caused quite a panic.  I calmed myself down, 'fixed' the mistake and kept moving.

I took the photo at the production meeting on 5AUG, when the actors and designers met to sign their contracts - that's what led to the title.  There is so much 'business' in show business!   The title is also inspired by a line from the show we met to sign contracts for:  "...the very business we call SHOW!"

I used a few different lines of papers-  Crate, Tim Holtz, Authenqique, BasicGrey.  There's some 7gypsies paper tape, some unknown washi- when I thought a touch of bright color would be nice, a clock rub-on from KaiserCraft, some Distress Ink rubbed thru some mesh tape and three different kinds of alpha stickers- the brown ones are Glitz, the cursive are Authentique and the big black ones are some 'Black on Kraft' stickers from Colorbok.  I know, I make a few jokes about Colorbok being the lonely kid at the prom.  But every once in awhile, they have something semi-nice, like these letters.

I love the look of date stamps.  I don't know what the hell I'm doing wrong, tho- I have the hardest time trying to use them.  That's why they're always stamped onto something else THEN added to my layout.  It takes me about twenty tries to get a usable date stamped...

Another angle.  I like the 'Documented' card that I cut from a larger piece of Crate's somethin'er nuffin set- can't remember.  Portrait?  Hell, I don't know.

Well, that's it for NEW LAYOUT EXCITEMENT!

Am I partying tonight, to celebrate my birthday?  No.  Because I promised Miss Tanya that I'll be sober, clean, dressed and ready to go at 8AM, tomorrow morning.  Why?  Cause we'll be picking up Darla and heading to TULSA, for the Creating Keepsake scrapbook convention!  Whooo!  If you're there, keep an eye out for us- I'm sure it won't be hard to find me in a crowd of ladies.  I probably won't shave.

-kory

On Shopping: New Tim Holtz Stamps and Other Fun-ness.

I'd planned to share my shopping spree recap with you, on my previous post about making the treasure boxes.  But I forgot ALL about it by the end of the post and wandered off to try to take a nap.  Luckily, the sharp eyes of Bella caught it- and, so-  I'm back!

Week after week, there's a moment during the mid-morning on Fridays when a voice of reason and clarity tries to speak loudly amongst the crazy voices in my head.

"Don't buy more supplies!  Why don't you use what you have?!"

Then, one of my favorite stores (My Heart's Fancy) will post that they have new products.

Well, screw that saving money and living like a monk thang!  I work hard and I'm not serving any prison sentences- so why shouldn't I have all the fun I want?!  

The 'shopping weekend' began at my lunch hour on Friday.  With Holly Busch.  We went to Basket Market- where, EXCITEMENT- we ran into Tanya, of Creative Endeavors.  Do you know Miss Tanya?  She's beautiful, fun, funny, and TALENTED!  Lady can Silhouette!  I didn't find anything earth shattering cool, this time, at Basket Market.  It wasn't the Studio Calico jackpot that it was a couple of weeks ago.  But I did score some great (name brand, too!) 6X6 paper pads and some very nifty American Crafts metallic pens.

As soon as I was able to drag myself out of the house, this morning, I staggered up to 165th and Penn, to check out the new stuff at My Heart's Fancy.  I got some of the new Tim Holtz Halloween stamps as well as the My Mind's Eye Halloween stamps.  I also got their 6X6 Halloween paper pad.  It looks great!

Aren't they great?!  I also bought that little bee stamp.  Why?  No idea.  I *really* wanted the other Tim Holtz stamps, too- especially the cemetery headstone blueprint one- but for some reason, decided to show some restraint.  I *am* going to CK/Tulsa next weekend.

After leaving My Heart's Fancy, I decided to stop in at Tuesday Morning.

Imagine that- a little score!

I found these Tim Holtz ideology thingies-  for 2.99 each!  And that corner rounder with a hole punch thing, too.  I LOVE these metal numbers.  I know I should've bought one more package of them...  The tassels, I don't know what I'll ever use those for... but, just in case: 2.99.

Now, I'm really, for real, super seriously gonna try for that nap.  I need it.  Especially if I'm going to stay up all night again!  Also, this is my last period of 'free time' for what could be a long while.  I start rehearsals for the next show I'm working on- as well as production managing the show following it-  it's gonna be work work and work for ... well, until the theatre season ends!

-kory

On Crafting And Insomnia...

Yeah.  In trying to come up with a title for this post, I started to ramble.*  I do that.  In real life, too.  I'll just talk and talk and talk.  My Mom says it's because I love the sound of my own voice.  And that's true.  I also love the sound of typing.  You do the math.

*I've edited the title of the post, as it was pointed out to me so pointedly that I forgot to talk about my new stamps.  So see the next post. :-)

Really, I do love the sound of typing.  When I was a beautiful child, I didn't play outdoors.  I stayed inside.  Playing office.  I had a manual typewriter.  Before I knew how to type, I just rhythmically banged on the keys.

About insomnia:  I work all the time.  It feels like all the time, anyways.  I'm also rarely alone.  The past few weekends, the quiet peaceful loneliness of the late late nights has proved too attractive.  Before I know it, it's 5:30am and I'm starting to panic because PEOPLE WILL START WAKING UP.

Last night, I started a crafting spree while enjoying a couple of vodkas- (with a splash of cranberry juice, for the color).  I'm taking a break from my craftomania to post a couple of the things which sprung from my tired hands and wired mind.

I got a wild hair to make an engagement gift for two friends.  They got their wedding rings yesterday.  I  decided they needed jewelry boxes.  As the boxes aren't lined with anything, they're really not 'right' for jewelry, so I am presenting them as 'nightstand boxes.'  You know, little boxes for their nightstands.  They can use them to store spare change...or a watch...or a key ring... or birth control devices... or their favorite pharmaceuticals.  You get the idea.

Probably one of (not THE, but one of) the cheapest gifts ever...

I got the wooden boxes at Dollar Tree.  You know, Da Dee Tee.  The happiest place on earth.  (Get lost, Disneyland.)

I used some 7gypsies papers from the 'Paddington' 6x6 pad.  I found the 6x6 pad at Tuesday Morning, for 1.99.  As much as I love black and white, I couldn't ever think of a way I wanted to use this paper.  Well, I finally did!  And I love how it looks on these boxes.

The sides of the boxes, I painted with glossy white paint.  Not a fancy kind- just some of the very inexpensive kind in the little bottles at all the stores.  After the white dried (not on its own, I got impatient and whipped out the heat gun) I used a scrap of cut up tshirt to rub/smear some camel colored paint over it- kinda like a glaze, I guess you'd call it...  It wasn't any plan, it just occurred to me and I loved the way it looked.  I ModPodged the paper to the top of the boxes, trimmed away the excess,  then sanded the edges just slightly.  I rubbed some Frayed Burlap Distress Ink around the edges and randomly around the top, then edged the boxes with Walnut Stain.  What would we do without Walnut Stain Distress Ink?  What would we do without Mr. Holtz?!  I raised my cocktail and toasted to Mr. Holtz.  Then, I got to work on the initials.  I dug out all my chipboard letters.  After trying out many, many different fonts, I settled on the one that I felt looked similar to the font on the papers.  I painted them white and rubbed Distress Inks on the edges and around randomly.  Lastly, I embossed the letters three times with clear embossing powder.  I Glossy Accented those offers on the top of the boxes and threw my hands into the air- DONE!

Here's a close up of the "R" box.  I love the look clear embossing powder gives- can you believe that's just a little cardboard letter?!  I can't!  You might, because you aren't as easily impressed/entertained as me.

The inside is just painted black.  I did think about lining the boxes with flannel, but I didn't have a black plaid flannel shirt to cut up...  I thought about using the rest of the flannel shirt I cut up to make the Goblin's shirt, and coloring the fabric with Black Soot Distress Stain, but ...  you know.  It was time to freshen my drink.

A parting shot.  It looks like I took the picture all tilt, doesn't it?  No, kids, that's the magic of the 'straighten' option in iPhoto.  I think they should rename it, and call it 'TILTY."  Cuz I've NEVER used it to straighten a photo, I just use it to make them tilty.  Why?  I don't know.  I guess a part of my brain thinks tilty=classy picture.

Alright, back to my worktable!  By way of the bed.  Kory need a nap.

-kory