WHAT A MESS!!!!!!

In aftermath of the chaos to get lots of cards and other items done for the fair, my scrapbook area has begun to look like a hurricane hit it.  My husband and kids think it should be condemmed.  Me on the other hand realizes that it is just a by product of my extremely creative and disorganized mind.  My area is actually in our hobby room I share with my husband, who uses his area for leather working, reloading, gun cleaning and several other hobbies he pursues.  Of course my area is strictly dedicated to my scrapbooking and papercrafting.  Though we are sharing the room, my side has gotten so bad with tools, papers, ideas and other items completely covering every available flat space, I was starting to over flow into Ken's area.  So 2 Saturday's ago I started the painful process of doing a deep cleaning of my area.  I started by moving everything out away from the walls, piling it in the hallway and on Ken's side and then mopping my half off the floor.  A girl's got to get the glitter off the concrete some how.  LOL   Well since then I have slowly been moving things back to place, I say slowly because I managed to injure my hip and lowback on Monday and have been unable to sit or stand for long periods of time since.  Ken has been pushing me to get the job finished since most of my stuff is now in his area, so he can't work on any  of his projects.  Of course he is also accusing me of taking over his side of the room, especially since everything was so bad that if I needed a flat space to work i would pull up to one of his benches LOL.  I am in the process of finishing the cleaning so I will post those pictures later, until then this is what EXTREMELY  MESSY looks like.

This is looking in the room from my office.  The first table is actually one Ken uses to cut his leather on, but as you can see I have overtaken it for now.  The white box you see is where I place my flowers or other items when i am going crazy with my homemade glimmer mist.

This is one of my work tables, it is fairly clean in this picture cause I had taken it down and used it at the fair.  Of course once I Set it back up it became a clutter magnet again.  The back wall is where my non-ctmh paper storage is at along with my stampsets and other misc items. 

These shelves are suppossed to hold my tools and supplies so I have everything at my finger tips.  The problem is I often get things out and fail to properly put them away.

This table is my main work station.  As you can see there is not an inch of real estate available to work on as i just keep throwing things on top of the piles instead of putting it away.  Did I mention that I am very messy when I am in that creative mode.

This is the resemblance of organization i have right now in my area.  This is where I keep all my CTMH cardstock and paper packs.  The cardstock is all kept in plactic bags to keep it from getting dusty and kept in Season order (my way of learning what color goes in what season).  The paper packs are just randomly put in an empty slot, so I can look through them when needed.

This is Ken's side of the room, if you notice he has everything in its place and actually goes nuts if anyone moves his stuff out of place.  The radio on the corner is mine as is the papers in the middle of the work space.  Though I ain't taking over this room at all.

My favorite way to emboss....Embossing on Vellum

As I stated in my earlier post the gals over at Heart 2 Heart Challenges are having an embossing challenge.  Since Embossing is my all time favorite way to embellish items I am submitting several of my projects. 

My favorite way to emboss is to emboss an image on vellum and then cut out and use as an embellishment.  Once I have embossed the image I rub ink over the image so it resists the embossed area but gives the negative area a touch of color.  In today's example I stamped the butterfly from the Dreams Petite Perks Stamp set in Black and Versa Mark then sprinkled it with an Irredescent embossing powder ( I have also used CTMH Clear Detail EP and Prisma Glitter Combined to geet a similar effect) I then gently heated to melt the powder, holding the gun far enough away to heat the image but not burn the vellum.  Once it was melted I sponged Orange over the embossed images to get my emboss resist look.  Then I gently cut out the butterflies including the antennea, (I cut out 18 of these without losing a single antennea).  On my card for the first one I stamped the butterflies in chocolate on my background then applied liquid glass just to the body & antennea only.  I placed these over the stamped image and once it had dried I gently raised the butterfly wings up so it looks like the butterflies are flying off the page.  Of course once I got started I had to make several more butterfly cards.



Paper Used: Twitterpatted, Chcolate, and Colonial White Cardstock, Vellum

Stamp Sets: Treasure Life, & Dreams Petite Perks

Inks: Creme Brulee, Chcolate, Sorbet, Black, Versa Mark

Hallographic Embossing Prowder from Ranger



Close Up of Butterflies

Additional cards made using the embossed butterflies

H2H Challenge Embossing

This week the challenge over at Heart 2 Heart Challenges is Embossing.  Well since this is my favorite way to embellish items I figured I would enter several of my past projects.  I have nothing new right now cause I am in the middle of a major cleaning of my scrap area.  Since I have several projects I would like to enter I  will be posting several times today.

Here is my first contribution, it uses embossing in 2 ways. The first is dry embossing with sanding.  I scored (dry embossed) my paper every 1/4 inch then i sanded over the raised areas to make them stand out.  The next technique is called ghosting (I think) i found it in the CTMH "Wishes" Card confidence program.  I first heat embossed the mountain scene using Clear Embossing powder then I inked over the embossed area with desert sand, so the embossed area would stand out.  Next I took a piece of paper and placed over the image and ran over it with a hot iron until all my embossing area was on transfered onto the paper. My final piece has no raised embossed area as I "ghosted' it away.

Materials Used:
Barn Red, Colonial White & Twilight Cardstock
Sarsaparilla Paper Pack (my Favorite hated to see it retire)
Clear Detail Embossing Powder
Twill
copper brad from JoAnns
Stamp Sets: Beauty Seen, & Say it with Style

What Didn't sell at the Fair

In the rush to get lots of cards done to sell at the fair I didn't manage to get many pictures of my wonderful creations.  I had several that I had a hard time parting with.  Luckily I wasn't working the booth when they sold. LOL

In making these cards I had a hard time, keeping the embellishments and fine detail to a minimum, other wise I would have been selling cards that took me 3 hours to make for $1.50 (ouch).  In the end I decided to pick a couple of different designs and see how many different looks I could get using different stamps, and  papers.

This is the first 3 I did.  The paper used was Blue Ribbon, Outdoor Denim, Cranberry and White Daisy Cardstock, Stamp Sets: For Every Occassion, Playful Flourishes, A Love, Just Be You, Dainty thoughts, True Friends, Outdoor Denim & Cranberry Grosgrain Ribbon, foundry plate from Outdoor denim Mini Medley.  These are all based on the Upper Level Focus card from the Originals Book.

The next group was based on a card I made when I first started up, I think I cased it from the CTMH consultant BB's but it has been 2 years since so I can't credit the original inspiration. On this on I just kept recreating it with different paper packs to get the desired looks.

Paper Used Twitterpatted, Sorbet Chocolate, and Colonial White Cardstock
Say It In Style, and Treasure Life Stamp Sets
Chocolate, Desert Sand  and Sweet Leaf Inks

Paper Used: You Rock, Smokey Plum Card & White Daisy Stock
Danity Thoughts and Just Be You Stamp Sets
Outdoor Denim, Smokey Plum and Goldrush inks
Navy Ribbon from Pat Catans
Stickles

Topstitch paper, Heavenly Blue and Colonial White Cardstock
Danity thoughts and Simple Stitches Stamp Sets
White daisy Paper Flowers,
Colonial White Brads colored with Brown Staz On and sprinkled with Prisma Glitter
Colonial White Slide from Shades of Chocolate Collection
Chocolate Ink

The next design is based loosely on the Pretty Simple pattern from the Originals Book.  This was my favorite pattern to use as it was quick and easy to put together and still get great looking results.

Papers Used:  Bella, Sweet Home, Emporium
Carstock, Chocolate, Pansy Purple, Outdoor Denim, Buttercup
Inks: Chocolate, Pansy Purple, Outdoor Denim, Creme' Brulee, Sorbet, Crystal Blue
Clear Detail embossing Powder, Just Blooms Paper Flowers, Filigree Charms, Cordoroy Brad from Autumn Garden Collection
Stamps Sets: Joy Forever, Treasures, Say It In Style!

Paper: That's Amore
Blush, Chocolate, Colonial White Cardstock
Spring Blossom Just Blooms
Filigree Charms
Stamp Sets:  Treasures, Say It In Style

Papers Used: Grace  Carstock, Cocoa, Sunflower, Colonial White Inks: Cocoa, Barn Red, Bamboo
Stamps Sets: Treasures, Say It In Style!
Clear Irredescent Embossing Powder by Ranger

The Next Card was one of those fun to embellishbut took forever to create cards.  If you know me you know I love creating fine detail and 3-D objects like these butterflies.  I stamp the butterfly from the Dreams Petite Perks Stamp Set in Black & Versa Mark on Vellum, I them Heat embossed them using a Hallographic Embossing Powder.   Once they were Embossed I sponged Orange ink over them to give them color. I then cut out the butterflies including their antenea.  Once my background was finished I stamped 3 butterflies in chocolate on my background and then using liquid glass applied only to the bodies and the antenea I glued the butterflies ove the stamped butterflies.  Once the liquid glas was dry I gently folded the wings up giving the illusion that the butterflies were flying off the page.  For the background of the page i spnged Creme' Brulee all over a piece of Colonial White Cardstock, then I Stamped the flowers from Treasure Life in Sorbet and Creme Brulee.



Paper Used:  Twitterpatted, Chcolate, and Colonial White Cardstock, Vellum
Stamp Sets: Treasure Life, & Dreams Petite Perks
Inks:  Creme Brulee, Chcolate, Sorbet, Black, Versa Mark
Hallographic Embossing Prowder from Ranger




Close up of the butterflies



Another Close up of the butterflies

  I have more pictures to come, but since the boys just walked in and need the computer for their homework (aka Facebook) I will save the others for later.

Recent Layouts (Ok so they are not so recent LOL)

As you all know, for the last month I have been busy getting things ready for the Tuscarawas County Fair.  So this has left me with little time to play or post, well now that it is finally over i figured I would show you some of my recent creations. 

These layouts were done at our August crop, they are more of Robbie.  I am slowly getting his album up to date, as I only have 7 more months to go before he graduates.  Time to start hitting the layouts hard before Wrestling season sneaks up on me.

Products used:
Sarsaparilla Paper Pack
Desert Sand, Colonial White and Black Cardstock
Yeehaw Stamp Set, Lovely Buckles Stamp Set, Homestead Alpha
Hemp & Liquid Glass
Barn Red Ink and Marker
Layout used: Reflections "Front & Center - Split Focus"

White Daisy, Sweet Leaf, Buttercup, & Crystal Blue Cardstock
Emporium Paper Pack (Photo Mats)
Playin Hard Stamp Set, Giggle Caps & Lowercase Alphas
Twilight Ink

Products Used:
Outdoor Denim, White Daisy, Holiday Red, Sunny Yellow, Star Spangled Blue Cardstock
DCWV B&T, White Ribbon JoAnn's, Chipboard Alpha from JoAnn's
Summer Craft Buttons
Baby Steps Stamp Set, The Works Alpha Stamp Set, Atomic Upper & Lower Case, and numbers Stamp Sets
Outdoor Denim, Star Spangled Blue, Holiday Red & Sunny Yellow Inks

Now that fair is over I hope to start getting atleast 4 layouts done a week.  We will see if that actually happens.

PS- Sorry the pictures are so bad I had a hard time getting the picture without a glare from the lights.

It's over, and we are all still kickin'

Well Fair week is finally over!!!  I love the fair and am always ready for it to arrive and ready for it to be over.  It is a great time, and a fun filled, action packed week.  But after about 3 days of little sleep and lots of action, I start wishing it would end.  The 2010 fair was another good year for our household.  Here is a run down of the week in review.

Monday was the official opening of the fair.  Robbie and Jimmy were very busy with working on the Jr. Fairboard.  Tony, Dillon and I worked in the Clover Cafe' with the rest of the 4-H club.  Then we washed all 4 pigs in preparation for the show the next morning.  Our 4-H booth once again got an "Outstanding Booth" award, Our theme was "Built 4-H Tough", I reviewed the score sheet and I think we got the best score we have ever had 99 out of 100 possible points, we got perfect scores on everything but creativity.  Not Bad.  I have to check but I do believe this is like the 12th year in a row that we have had an Outstanding booth.

Tuesday was the hog show the boys hogs were all lite weights so they were in the first 5 weight classes.  Tony's pig Star weighed 220lbs and was in the first weight class, she made it into the holding pen and got 5th place in her class.   Robbie's pig Layla weighed 229 and was in Weight Class 2, Layla also made it into the holding pen and we were all excited when she got first place.  Jimmy's pig Double Stuff weighed 230 and was in Weight class 3, Double Stuff got an honorable mention as the Judge sent the pigs back to the barn, she ended up with 8th place.  Dillon's pig Frappe' was the heaviest pig weighing in at 241lbs and she was in weight class 5, she too got an honorable mention on her long lean body before she was sent back to the barn with 9th place.  Robbie placing first made our day exceptionally long as we had to sit around and wait for the Grand Champion round even though we knew Layla had only a slight chance of making it.  Tuesday evening then I worked the Close To My HEart Booth, and had a good finish to a great day.

Tony showing Star

Robbie showing Layla

Jimmy getting ready to show Double Stuff

Dillon & Frappe'



Robbie and Layla in the Championship run



 Wednesday was showmanship.  The boys didn't do that great this year.  The judge wasn't looking for what we had been taught so the boys didn't make it into the holding pens, even though they did a great job showing their pigs. Only Robbie placed in his class he got 4th out of 5 participants.  Tony was majorly disappointed cause he had worked hard with his pig and this was the first time since he began showing that he hadn't placed in the top five of his age group, and he had missed his football game to show.

Dillon in Showmanship

Tony in Showmanship

Thursday night was the Livestock Auction.  After Robbie's hog sold we were beginning to think that it was going to be a bad year for us, as Robbie only got $1.75/lb for his hog with only 1 person bidding on his hog.  Korn's Electric bought it. Then Tony's hog sold for only $2.00/lb better than Robbie's but still not good enough to payoff the loans and still have some extra to save, again only 1 person bid on his hog and we were beginning to think our buyers had forgotten us.  We did have a new buyer purchase Tony's hog, Bolivar Pizza.  There were about 80 hogs between Tony and Jimmy with most of them going for arouond $2.50-2.75/lb.  When Jimmy's hog came up I was so preoccupied in praying that his sold well that I totaly missed getting a picture of Jimmy in the sale ring, and failed to realize that his hog had gone for $3.25,  I was thrilled, it was the most we have ever gotten for a hog and the buyer was Evan's Family Farms, the farm we had gotten our hogs from to begin with.  THANKS JEREMY & MICHELE.  Well this was good news as we take all the proceeds from the sale of the 4 hogs and add them all together and divide by 4 so each boy makes the same amount, this made Tony & Robbie feel a little better knowing that they would be coming out ahead.  Dillon's Hog was the last to sell, he also got $3.25/lb from Steve & Becky Mastin, Dover-New Phila Wendy's.  THANKS STEVE & BECKY. Of course this year I had once again completely forgot about getting the boys some sort of Thank You gift to give their buyers on Thursday night so when Michelle Evans bought Jimmy's Hog I gave her the washer necklace I had been wearing that day as a Thank You Gift, then once Wendy's bought Dillon's Hog I quickly ran down to my Close To My Heart booth and got 3 more necklaces for the other boys buyers.  I gave Becky her choice of necklaces.  We could not find the other 2 boys buyers so I guess we will have to send then their gifts later.   

Once we got done with Thursday, the boys were done showing and we were on the down hill side of the fair.  My neices and nephew showed their animals on Wednesday and Friday.  Sunny showed her rabbit on Wednesday and got first place in her class and 5th place in showmanship,  Congratulations Sunny.  The Stewarts showed their calves on both Wednesday in Open Class and Friday in the Jr. Fair Show.  Nadine got 3rd place on both days, Daniel got 5th place on Wednesday and 4th on Friday, Arizona got first place on Wednesday and second place on Friday.



Sunny & her rabbit Sugar



Arizona & Jasmine

Daniel & Farrah

Nadine & Penny

Friday afternoon after the Dairy sale I got sick from the heat and spent the rest of the night in the camper. Then Saturday Ken, Dillon, and I didn't get into the fairgrounds till after 3 pm because Dillon had a football game, I once again spent the night in the camper cause I was feelin rough.  Though on SAturday I had company cause Robbie, and Jimmy were startin to get sick.  By the time Sunday rolled around I was starting to feel better and was more than ready to close up another year.  Overall it was a good week, my goal of comin out of the fair with more money than we came in with wasn't quite reached but I did make almost $90 in the Close To My Heart booth, plus I had made several contacts.

Today Robbie and Jimmy both stayed home with severe head cold, yeah we survived the fair but we did come out a little on the rough side.  Now it is time for me to get back to scrappin, cause even though I was on vacation for the last week, Robbie's graduation is creeping closer and closer, so now i have less than 7 months to get 17 years of Robbie's life scrapped and put into an album.  Time to get movin.

Let The Chaos Begin

Well after weeks of preparation the Fair is finally here!!!

It's only Monday and I already am in desparate need of a nap.  The pigs all made weight, Dillon decided to take his back-up Frappe and she ended up being the heaviest of our pigs weighing in at 241, Tony's is the lightest being 220, Robbie's is 229, and Jimmy's weighed 230. 

The 4-H Booth was completely set up by 5:00 pm on Sunday, A NEW RECORD for me. LOL  The Close to My Heart booth is up and running, I only managed to get about 75 cards done, but I also have flowers, washer necklaces, and my Snow /Fall decor. 

Now to settle in for the Chaos of the week.  The boys all stayed at the camper last night, while I slept in my own bed here at home.  It seemed to have worked out great, the camper was still in one peice when I arrived this mornin and the boys were all alive.  I will be posting pictures of the week as I get a chance, here are a few so far.