on tape and gifts and being busy

Ohhhh it's been a long week!

As usual, I've been BUSY!

I like to keep busy.  If I'm not doing something or about to do something, I feel like world will end.  Actually, I don't feel like the world will end- I KNOW it will end.

Last night, as I was leaving MICHAELS, I looked up to see a bright orange streak burning far far farrrr up in the sky.  It was much higher than a plane could be flying.  Clearly, it was an asteroid headed straight towards New Mexico.  I couldn't believe that I was going to die in the parking lot of MICHAELS.

Needless to say, it wasn't an asteroid and a survivor didn't have to pry the bag of washi tape from my cold, dead fingers.

YES!  Washi is back at MICHAELS!  The much talked about 'WALL O' WASHI' at MICHAELS!  Imagine the embarrassingly pre-teen squeal that escaped from my mouth.  You would've thought a twelve year old girl turned the corner and saw Justin Bieber- not that a handsome gentleman in his, um, late mid-thirties, saw a rack of tape.

Yeah- they call it 'crafting tape.'  Which does sound kinda classy, doesn't it?  All kinds of new designs- my favorite?  A kinda kraft chevron. 

There's a close-up for your tape viewing pleasure.  Pervert.

Just when I think that I can't be excited any further, I run across this little end-cap of joy:

7gypsies!

Loads of stamps and 'ephemera packs.'  (And up above, those nifty 'Mix'd Media Inks.'  Love those!)

I can't tell you how long I've been wanting the 7gypsies 'BEAUTIFUL' stamp.  I like the font and I like the simplicity.  And now, I can't wait to use it...

So, what else has been going on in KoryLand? 

Well, in my show business career, I just closed another hit run of HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH.  Yes, I say 'another,' because it's the third run of this same production that I've stage managed.  The show that won't quit!  And I love every second of it!

But you know how much I love to give opening night gifts to all the actors and stage crew.  I don't care how many shows I've done-  I can't help but give SOMETHING.  The energy that is backstage on an opening night is one of the most addictive drugs in the world!  And I love to fuel it by delivering a small gift to everyone. 

Like last show's opening night gift, I made the same/similar necklaces-  using some inexpensive satin cord and chains with (also inexpensive!) clasps and a variety of tokens from Tim Holtz's Idea-ology line- along with a few random charms I've found along the way.  You can really make LOTS of neatly impressive necklaces this way, for not much money at all. 

But PACKAGING is what I really enjoy.  I love using paper lunch sacks and twine (Dollar Tree!) and some embossed tags when I package my gifts.

Something seemed to be missing...though...

TELEGRAMS!!!  Just like the 'olden days!'  You know- you've seen the movies.  A show is opening and telegrams are being delivered to everyone backstage.

A quick search on the internet and I found this incredible Western Union telegram template.  All you hafta do is type your information into the boxes- it puts it into an authentic 'telegram' font and PRINT.  The website even shows you how to fold them as Western Union did!!!

There's one of my completed 'telegrams' right there- trimmed to the authentic size and all!  I didn't have any cream colored paper or newsprint, so I settled on what looked to be an attention getting 'official yellow.' 

I wish I had a photo of the next step- but to make my telegrams look more official, I pulled out some stamps at the office and stamped "RECEIVED" in 'official' red ink.  It really added a cool detail!

There it is, all folded up!

And there they are- attached to the gift bags and tags and boxed up- ready for delivery!

Okay- that's all I got for ya, today.  I can't stay and talk for hours, ya know- I've got a mountain of work to do and then hafta run home and get to work with unpacking books, books and more books.  I clearly need to have a book SALE.

See you soon!

-k

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

a present for a friend

My friend and co-worker, Bev, keeps me sane.  She listens (or reads the emails) when I'm stressed out to the point of exploding.  And she's obsessed with the band Foster The People.  So I made her a little charm to hang on something or wear on something, or whatever she comes up with:

I stamped the band's initials on a blank Vintaj blank.  They were half-price at Jo-Ann last week, so I bought a few packages.  I love metal stamping, lately.  It's fast and makes cute things.  After stamping the letters, I decided it still looked a little too plain.  So I smacked it a few times with my Tim Holtz Texture Hammer- you know- the crazily cute little hammer with the changeable texture tips?  One of my favorite buys EVER.  Well, after that- it just looked too beat up.  Oh! Wire!  So I wrapped it a few times with some wire.  Done!

Well.  Now, I hafta make a card, right?  Right.

I looked up, and my newest Daniel Torrente stamp was staring at me.  Staring at me with many eyes.

 

I colored one of the little critter's faces with a Tumbled Glass Distress Marker and stamped the asterix and 'hello' in the corner.  

But now, what do I put the charm in- the envelope?  It looks stupid just stuck in there...

Oh!  I'll make a little tiny card to go in the card, that the charm's chain can be wrapped around!

Have any of you ever seen or do you have the Tonic Studio Duo Corner Ticket/Tag Punch?  It's so cool.  You can make any old square or rectangular piece of cardstock into a tag or ticket.  I first saw it and used it at a card making class at My Heart's Fancy and had to buy one for myself.  

After punching the corners to make the card into a ticket, I stamped it with a woodgrain background stamp using Antique Linen Distress Ink.  The 'Best of the Best' sentiment is from one of the new BasicGrey 'Clippings' stamp sets from Hero Arts.  

I wrapped the charm around the ticket.  Now it looks more proper when stuck into the envelope, right?

While I was making this, I was thinking how great it is to have what is looking more and more like an entire Hobby Lobby store INSIDE my house.  If the need appears to make a little gift for someone, all I need to do is sit down and do it!

And now I'm done.  I can rest.  Watch True Blood.  And enjoy a benadryl... something is bothering my allergies and I need to sleep all night.  

Have a good start to the week, everyone!

-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