Heidi Swapp Chat Project Life Arrows "Smile Like You Just Won the Lotto!"

Yippee!! All 10 SCS VSN Challenges Completed! 

Even though I didn't scrap continuously over the course of the Virtual Stamp Night Event, I honestly am just breathless because today was a marathon to get the last two cards finished, photographed, edited, draft blog entry with all supply info, and uploaded to both gallery/blog!! I don't think I've ever made 10 different cards in a week, ever! I definitely need a breather after this event. 

However, I'm happy that I can now go into production the rest of this month by making multiples of many of my cards to build up stock to send to each of the monthly hostesses in the ongoing Ronald McDonald Card for a Cause donation.  Definitely less stressful when it's just mass production once card concept has already been completed.

So this is the very last challenge calling to use only the scraps from the event.  

Challenge Title: Go to your Happy Place (Include scraps resulting from previous VSN Challenge creations)

Hostess: JBgreendawn (Stacy)
Keyword: JUN15VSNJ

The little banners were perfect to use up all those solid cardstock scraps I had as a result of the last couple of cards, specifically:

• Bzz...You're One in a Million Card - I have tons of smaller yellow pinking circle die cuts. 
• Rainbow of Sweet Treats Birthday - The bright colored solid cardstock.
• You're Fabulous Dress - The bright colored solid cardstock from above.
• Live, Laugh, Hula - The bright colored solid cardstock from above finally gets mostly used up.  

--------

I truly believe in manifesting what you want out of life by just changing your outlook daily. 

Recently, I came across this book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo which was trending on the New York Best Sellers List earlier this year.  Marie Kondo is a professional organizer in Japan and she advocates that the process of tidying up by keeping ONLY what brings you joy and to purge the rest is actually an incredible transformative catharsis in increasing happiness and satisfaction in one's everyday life.  

Yes, I started purging like a maniac after a life time of pack rat tendencies.  It truly was liberating to just be surrounded by what brings me absolute joy! Imagine getting dressed in a closet with only clothes you love NOW.  This process is what brought me back to my crafting supplies because I realized how much I appreciate and still find joy in about 99% of my supplies. The rest, I purged by selling or donating. 

So, the idea of smiling everyday like you've just won the lotto is how I feel when I choose to only surround myself with what brings me joy.  It's exhilarating and brings about so much clarity in life. It's a very healthy form of building and maintaining self esteem and helps to manifest only the joyful things in all aspects of my life.  

Recognizing joy, appreciating joy, and wanting more of that joy is my happy place.

Plus, I just freaking love Heidi Swapp! 

--------

I'm so happy that I participated in this Virtual Stamping Event because I really learned a lot.  Even though I unfortunately uploaded to the SCS gallery about 2 minutes too late, I'm still proud of myself for churning out 10 different cards within a week.  

It was the rule to complete the card within an hour that was most life changing.  

The one hour time limit really pushed me to
1) just make do and use what I have
2) not every card has to be a multi layered master piece
3) go for the finish instead of mulling over a million options, and
4) clean up after each card.  I've never made that many cards before in one week! 10 completed cards, wow!

During each of the 10 challenges, I was shopping out of the few things from my storage unit that I threw into boxes to use.  So it was a trip to use only what I had on me. No running out the door to buy the PERFECT item to compliment the idea stewing in my head.  Instead, JUST MAKE DO WITH WHAT I HAVE.  

While not everything I created was the multi layered masterpiece I would have preferred, it was certainly the frequent sensation of getting it done, multiple times, day after day that was new to me. Amazing! 

Additionally, I learned I take about an hour to photograph, edit, draft blog post with all supply identifications, and then upload to gallery/blog. So I need to take that time into consideration. 

Ha! I can't believe I'm going to share a picture of my current work space, which is part of the challenge.  This is my geeky BF's computer desk in the corner of the bedroom.  Things are toppling off the edges as I work so I have supplies on the floor and on another chair behind me. I pretty much have to clean up after each crafting session.  

I'm so grateful to all the hostesses for organizing the event! Thank you ladies! I had a blast!

Thanks for visiting!


  

"Smile Like You Just Won the Lotto" 
Paper: Bazzil CS & SU Smooth White CS
Stamps: Heidi Swapp Chat Project Life Arrows 
Ink:  SU Positively Pink; SU Lavendar Lace; SU Tempting Turquoise; SU YoYo Yellow
Accessories: Heidi Swapp Chat Project Life Arrow Die; Lifestyle Crafts/QK Tide EF
Size: 4.25 x 5.5"

CASE Time for a "From the Herd" Stamp Set - It's Pasture Birthday Etch-A-Sketch Card

CASE-ing, Copy And Share Everything, is a fabulous way to get the creative mojo going, so I'll be doing this regularly the rest of this calendar year as per my  2015 Let the Year End with Beauty Resolution.

I've seen this adorable Etch-A-Sketch card design all over SCS and Pinterest, so I just had to CASE it as soon as I got my From the Herd set a few weeks ago during the Retirement sale.  I've seen so many adorable cards with this set that I just had to have it.

This is just such a fun and nostalgic design for those of us that still remember what an Etch-A-Sketch is.

CASE Credit:

SU Demo Tami White - who features an Etch a Sketch card design using the SU Sketch a Birthday Set back in August 2014, which is the earliest date I could find.  {Thank You Tami!} 

I unfortunately don't know who it was that created the first Etch-A-Sketch card using this From The Herd set, or I'd for sure give credit here. 

Thank you to whoever it was that came up with this.  Here are my versions.

Attempt #1:  

• I eyeballed and trimmed out the inner rectangle from the front Real Red cardstock panel. But I just don't like it. 
• I also used Going Grey ink on generic gray cardstock scraps I had, and the imprint was really faint. Don't like it. 

Sigh! So I broke down and bought a die set while I was at Michael's today using a 50% off coupon. So this Becky Higgin's Project Life Die set came out to just $9.99.

PRODUCT REVIEW: I almost had a heart attack when I opened the package.  

• They're taped extremely well like the old Spellbinder dies, but the dies themselves are soooooooo thin and flimsy!! I thought I had bent and/or broke them just trying to get them out of the packaging. I should have just forked over $24.95 and gotten the framelits set from SU, but I gave in to both price and instant gratification.  

• They also didn't yield a clean cut as I had random stray shavings along the cut edges.

• These don't leave an embossed edge either.

• I'm not very confident that these will cut through thicker cardstock or specialty paper due to how flimsy they are. I may just return these and get the SU ones instead.  

• For my purposes below, they performed adequately, but I'd rate it a B-. Nothing for anyone to rush and buy immediately.

Attempt #2:

With the 3" x 4" sized inner rounded rectangular die in hand from the BH Project Life set from American Crafts, I was excited to make another version of the Etch-A-Sketch card that I just knew I'd be much happier with!

If you've ever wanted to know what 15 year old embossing power looks like, zoom in on my photo below.  I cried because the embossed greetings just did come out crisp like I remember it used to.  I did make sure to reink my Versamark pad generously and not to press too hard onto my cardstock with the inked up polymer stamp to achieve as crisp of an image as possible.

I'll have to crush and sift all of my EP's to make sure they're not all clumped together. I'm pretty intent on using my stash rather than tossing it to buy brand new. Ain't no one got that kinda money to throw around!

For the sentiment, I didn't like the SU Gold metallic because this particular one from SU looks dirty to me.  I was hoping for a brighter gold, so I switched to an opaque white so that the sentiment would pop more.

But I definitely liked the image when stamped in Momento Black ink on this Recollections metallic silver cardstock. The cardstock was slick, so the Momento was perfect for rich permanent color that dried pretty fast.

Finished them off by die cutting some 1" sized circles with one of my Spellbinders nested circle sets. I didn't realize that it would leave a nice embossed edge. Yup, first time using these dies since my punches are in storage. The white circular die cuts were pop dotted on the bottom inner corners for the Etch-A-Sketch dials.  Finally I whipped out my trusty old Creative Memories corner rounder on all 4 corners for the finishing touch.

Since these were so easy, I went ahead and made a handful of them for upcoming monthly Ronald McDonald House card donations to other hostesses located throughout the US.

I've committed to sending a minimum of 10 cards to each of the monthly hostesses so that each RMH location can be featured on a rotating basis.

CASEing is a great way of completing a handful of super cute cards for the cause.  If you'd like to donate some of your handmade cards to this cause, I am collecting throughout the rest of 2015 to donate to the Pasadena, CA location.  Click here for more information.


Thanks for visiting.



 


"It's Pasture Birthday Etch-A-Sketch"  Card CASE
Paper: SU Real Red; Misc Red CS; Recollections Metallic Silver CS
Stamps: SU From the Herd
Ink: Momento Black; Versamark
Embellishments: American Crafts Becky Higgins Project Life Die; SU Metallic Gold EP; Stampendous Opaque White EP; Spellbinders Standard Circles Large (smallest die); CM Corner Rounder; Pop Dots Dimensional Foam
Size: 5.5 x 4.25" rectangular