Tuesday With A Vengeance

Yeahp.  Tuesday damn near killed me.  I don't want to complain.  But I will.  I am cursed with a face that looks younger than my age.  It's definitely catching up, the hard life I've lived is starting to show through the cracks- but still, I don't really look my age.  Believe me, it was much worse.  When I was sixteen, I looked maybe ELEVEN.  My younger brother, who had a freakin' BEARD and a foot-tall mohawk when he was FOURTEEN used to have to go up to the box office to buy tickets for rated-R movies because they wouldn't sell them to me.  To ME, the person who DROVE us to the movie theatre.  I had to hid around the corner, behind the bush, while he bought the tickets for The Rocky Horror Picture Show every Saturday night at midnight.  Anybody else remember doing that?  Not hiding behind bushes while your younger brother bought the tickets, but going to Rocky Horror at Midnight?  I digress.  What I was getting to is that because I look/sound younger- it can be a struggle to get people to take me seriously.  I can't tell you how many times I am talked down to at work by people who don't know me/are unaware of my awesome work skills.  As I was TODAY.  Which put me in a bad mood.   DISCLAIMER:  When I say something like 'my awesome work skillz,' or talk about 'how cool I am,'  -trust me, I am just being funny.  I am not some crazed conceited d-bag.  Alright- with that disclaimer out there, let's get down to bidness, before I send more people running for the 'back' button, screaming 'I CAME HERE TO SEE SOME PAPERCRAFTING GENIUS NOT TO BE THIS GUY'S THERAPIST!'

With a tough day at work, what am I to do but use my lunch hour to run up to PAPER CROWN and see what was in the new shipments she mentioned on her blog yesterday?  No new Tim Holtz, but I did find a few things- a set of Prima stamps that I bought because one was a little bug.  A bee, I think.  Or is it a fly?

photo from scrapbook.com - click to buy!

What is THAT?  As soon as I want to say it's a fly, its butt makes me want to say it's a bee.   I think I like every one of these tiny stamps.  Yes, they are tiny.  And perfect for fitting into little spaces that need a little bee.  Or a fly.  And they cost two bucks.  Well, I love all of them except for the the 'love' on the little stamp.  It would've been perfect if it didn't say 'love!'  By the way- have I ever expressed my distaste for those 'Live Laugh Love' signs?  They do to home decor as Thomas Kinkade does to art.  Oh I hate the LIVE LAUGH LOVE signs.  Don't get me started.  And my sincerest apologies to all of you that have a LIVE LAUGH LOVE sign hanging in your living room.  I mean no more offense than that sign.  

;-)

So there I am, staggering around Paper Crown, trying to decide if should hurry back to work or if I should fake a flat tire so I can go home and play, I get distracted by paper.  Being distracted by paper is a wonderful thing, isn't it?  I grabbed some new My Mind's Eye, and some of the 'Boys Life' papers from Echo Park.  Wow, dat's some purty paper.

I also got these nifty stamps from OCTOBER AFTERNOON:

These caught my eye because of the doily shapes.  Ever since watching the great DREW SCOTT's live Prima class last week, I've wanted some doily stamps.  I loved the way they looked, stamped with brown ink, on that layout he did... and now, I've got some doily stamps!  I also love the 'this book belongs to' stamp AND the two silhouettes.  They key isn't bad, but I have more key stamps than I have vintage typewriter stamps.  How about a round of applause for OCTOBER AFTERNOON, ladies and gentlemen?!  I love you, OA.  

I also got these very cool retro travel inspired cards, from GLITZ's 'Happy Travels' collection!  I love anything having to do with travel - did you know that I was a travel agent for a little over six years?  Remember.  There might be a test, one day.

I can't wait to find a way to use these cards!

The rest of the day at work, I was planning on coming home to scrap a layout using my favorite old photo of my parents.  But when I got home, I YET AGAIN felt too lazy/technologically challenged to attempt messing with the printer... so I decided it was time to make another card.  

I forget WHERE I saw (in person) one of the 'Tri-Fold Shutter Cards.'  And that 'A Boy's Life' paper was sitting on table, winkin' at me and showin' a little leg...DAAAAMN!  I had to put that paper to work!  

I used some postage stamp lookin' paper tape from 7 Gypsies and more of my beloved die cuts from K & COMPANY, that I picked up while, um, grocery shopping at Wal-Mart.  It's a big bag of very cool looking vintage cards and bits- I need another bag!  That little 'Howdy' card, with the horse, is almost cooler than I am, for Gawd's sake!

See what I mean about that little 'Howdy' card?!  Coolness.

This is a close up of another one of the K&CO die cut cards- I thought it would be cool to circle the date and write the month and year info when I give this card to someone.  Those are the tiny staples from Mr. Holtz's tiny attacher, there, too.  Any excuse to use that damn treasure!

Well, making cards can wear a fella out.  I'm done for...

I hope everyone had a great creative day!  I'm working on some exciting things for my blog, so I hope y'all keep coming back.  What exciting things?  Some PRIZES and some VIDEO!  Don't get too excited about the prizes- this ain't no big classy blog.  But I can promise it'll be somethin' cool- cuz I'm cool like dat.  And video?  Yeahp.  I've been practicing a big opening number every time I jump into my truck to drive somewhere.  

-kory

Smash!

No, I'm not talking about the new TV show.  I don't watch TV.  I have trouble sitting still and devoting attention to it- unless it's a new episode of THE WALKING DEAD.  And even then I will browse websites or magazines or talk on the phone if it goes too long between zombie fights.

I'm talking about K&CO's SMASH BOOKS!  (Or is it SMASHbook?)  I LOVE THESE THINGS!  Do you?  First of all- they're extremely nice looking.  And I love the pen and glue-stick combo.  But then: there are the accessories.  Have you bought the SMASHstamp?  Freakin' adorable.  And handy!

So what is it that has Mr. K in such a frenzy, tonight?

The new SMASH books and accessories, that's what...

I was reading one of my favorite blogs- THE SCRAPPY JEDI, and saw the photos from CHA.  And there is was- the new SMASH tape.  And the new giant sized SMASH books.

What's up with the tape?  The first one, called SWATCH- I'm going to need at least two rolls of this, just to start with-  looks like random swatches of fabric or paper, could be torn in small pieces as an accent to a layout, and would even look great in a long strip, as a border.

The second roll of tape is called CALENDAR.

The third thing that caught my eye?  The label-maker.  Why would I need this?  I have a perfect, vintage DYMO label-maker.  I found it at thrift store, in its own plastic case with rolls of original wood-veneer looking tape!  But, dangit- I do, truly, love all things SMASH!

Well, definitely go over to The Scrappy Jedi and check out her photos, fresh from CHA.

Show Bidness!

If you're keeping up with me, here, you'll know that I'm a stage manager.  For live shows.  You know- theatre.  Mostly for plays.  Musicals are much more work.  I stage managed a long run of the rock musical, HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH and it so many cues that I nearly lost my mind.  Well, what's left of my mind.  Non-musicals are so much easier to work on!  

As I move from show to show, I like to keep things that remind me of them- photos, cards from actors, ticket stubs, playbills, maybe even a prop or two that I manage to run off with...anything!  I've been working at building a nice album, full of my 'Show Bidness Memories.' 

The play I'm working on right now, opened last Friday night.  I loved the advertising postcards/flyers for the show.  The day I got them, I sat down at my worktable and got to work.  One more page for my album! 

The bright colors of the flyers really seemed to set me free from the stark and/or monochromatic style that I'm usually attracted to- 

I sat down in my pile of papers and found this bright pink paper from CRATE.  I love CRATE, lately.  The backside of this pink paper was a dark brown with a cool minimal design on it- I guess that is why I bought it, but I love that I've ended up using the unexpected (to me) side!

I also have a love for the shape of a postage stamp.  I cut the large photo mat, with my Black Friday Cricut Expression 2 and my latest cartridge, 'Elegant Edges.'  What a great cartridge.  I also used my Cricut to cut the rolodex card shape behind the photo on the left.  I found this great shape on the 'Graphically Speaking' cartridge.  Another great cartridge to have!  I love these kinds of shapes.  Anything that reminds me of office supply gives me a thrill.  Why?  I don't know.  I'll explore that with a therapist.

The part of this page that I had the most fun with?  The borders.  I lined them up all in a row.  They're from a pack of borders from K & CO.  EVERY border in this set is terrific.  The set is called CUT N PASTE.  Check them out: 

Photo from K&CO: http://www.eksuccessbrands.com/kandcompany

See the one that looks like a big film strip?  You gotta see it in person.  I've got to go back to MICHAELS and pick up another package of these...or another two package of these...

I love this 'New Vintage' look that has really taken off.  Will it replace my love for the beautiful grunge from Mr. Holtz?  No.  But, clean, modern retro is really winning over my heart.

There ya go, a page from my 'Shows' album!  If you wanna come to OKC and catch a show, let me know.  I'll take you to the Hobby Lobby outlet in the morning.  ;-)

Later!

-kory