Nagging Inspiration

Ever see something that sparks an idea, then fades away, only to resurface a week later? That's what happened to me.

Two Fridays in a row while waiting with hubby, I have walked around a lobby admiring art work that keeps triggering a nagging inspiration to attempt the look in card form. Here are photos of what I am looking at, no clue to the artist or I would give credit:

Snowy day so not best lighting on this one

 

These are glass panels embedded with beads, stone and ink, mounted on metal panels. My self-imposed challenge is to see if I can take the idea and create at least one card, using only supplies currently owned. Since there is bound to be trial and error here, I am allowing myself two weeks. At that time I promise to post my results if I haven't done so sooner. After all it is better to have tried and failed than to never try at all.


Parting thoughts as I love them both:

"All life is an experiment." 

   Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing."

   Werner von Braun

Laugh or Cry

Crafting: my biggest block of crafting time is my week-ends, much like everyone else I guess. Saturday managed to get three cards completed and went to bed eager for Sunday play time. Ha!

Since I have a list of cards a page long I need done before the end of the month I really don't think I can afford days like today. I am going to possibly be the first blog in all the world to show you my mucky  mess. You decide if you want to laugh or cry. I have done both.

First order of business is a birthday card for my daughter. Her birthday is Wednesday. I wanted to do an artsy-fartsy style card for a change of pace. Medium of choice was Twinkling H2O's. Love these paints as can get rich colors or soft, they apply like watercolor and they do indeed twinkle.

Attempt one - emboss resist. Stamped image on watercolor paper and clear embossed. Twinkling H20's applied with water brush. Paper was a bit too textured but not a horrible outcome. Just different.
See:

So I thought, I'd shadow stamp on it for more definition. Between thought process and application something went terribly wrong. See for yourself:

Frustrated, I decided to try making background paper with my paint. Did the smoosh technique. Apply paint to one quarter sheet and smoosh the other quarter onto it. I ask you, do these look like they were smooshed together?

Never giving up on the first try, here is attempt number two.

Well at least I salvaged some bits and pieces. Apparently watercolor paints can act like glue when wet and left together a second too long. Feeling somewhat foiled in my attempts by now but carried on. Finally managed a background I liked, embossed an image that worked. Time to layer papers and mount to card. Easy as pie. Did I ever mention I am horrible at making pie crusts? Here is a snap shot of some , I do mean some of the rejects.

 

Measure once, cut twenty times

Still I managed to get one card completed today and it is my daughter's birthday card. Photo is a bit over exposed but that's how the day has been.

Every birthday card needs a sentiment to polish it off. I should have stopped and just written a note. The final straw that stopped my crafting for today.

Yes the stamp hit not once but twice without me knowing it. Hope she enjoys anyway!


Parting thought for today:

Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.
     - Abraham Lincoln -

One Potato, Two Potato*

One potato, two potato,
Three potato, four,
Five potato, six potato,
Seven potato, more! 

Most who know me are very aware I am owned by two kitties. Actually they are physically past the kitty stage and should be called cats.

Monday night we had some potatoes with our supper. Unfortunately the bag did not get put back where it belongs (won't say who forgot but it wasn't me.) When I awoke the next morning and descended the staircase I could hear rustling in the kitchen. Odd since I locked the back door. Not wanting to warn a potential intruder, I continued on, my trusty phone in hand (flash set to activate with a push of the thumb just in case I needed to blind someone uninvited to my home.). Here is what I found:

Looks innocent enough doesn't he. However, he is at the far end of the room - here is what he accomplished before he was caught.  

These were on their way to the dinning room far from where he was caught. Upon further inspection I discovered he managed to get one even further - through both rooms, up 13 steps and stashed away behind the door in my craft room. Not sure if he thinks having food nearby will help my crafting attempts or if the poor boy just needs a new toy to play with. 

Lisa Brewer possibly sums up his reasoning with rule three of her "Things My Cat Learned Growing Up" post on her blog.  "Everything found on the floor is mine to sniff. If it smells good, I will eat it. If it does not smell good, it becomes an instant cat toy and will eventually be added to my collection of stuff under the refrigerator, stove or furniture."

Food for thought or in their eyes, simple truth:  

"In a cat's eye, all things belong to cats." - English proverb