Go Granny Go Birthday Card

I designed this card on Friday, October 8, 2010 for Marge Cook, my mother-in-law, on the occasion of her 95th birthday. It’s a 5 ½” x 4 ½” card. I chalked the edges of the card and the ovals with Outdoor Denim Exclusive Inks.

PRODUCTS
Stamps:
• SparkleNSprinkle Go Granny Go [1516-308G] and Go Granny Go!!! (phrase) [3180-397A]
• Close To My Heart For Every Occasion stamp (D1187)
• Close To My Heart The Present (D1436)
Stickles
• Black Diamond
• Silver
Copic Markers
• E33 Sand
• B05 Process Blue
• E00 Skin White
• RV29 Crimson
• R20 Blush
• C-1 Cool Gray
• Y08 Acid Yellow
Paper
• Close To My Heart Outdoor Denim (1275)
• Close To My Heart White Daisy (1385)
Other Products
• Close To My Heart Exclusive Inks Outdoor Denim (Z2140)
• White Satin Ribbon
• Spellbinders Nestabilities, Classic Scalloped Ovals Large
• Close To My Heart 3” x 3” Acrylic Block
• Close To My Heart 1” x 1 ½” Acrylic Block
• Close To My Heart 2: x 3 ½” Acrylic Block
• Close To My Heart Sponge Dauber (Z726)
• Inkssentials Opaque Pen White
• Close To My Heart Bone Folder Z1204
• Sizzix Big Shot
• 3M ATG Gun
• Mini Pop Dot

Meet Our Scrappigator

I just posted our new Scrappigators logo to the blog? Isn't this cute, in an alligatorish sort of way? My friend, Candy Abbott (owner of Fruitbearer Publishing -- http://www.fruitbearer.com/) designed it for me. And how ready is scrappy to fill that tote bag?

I've spent the day in front of the computer trying to figure out Web Expressions 3 . . . I think. I'd just gotten used to Front Page when "they" had to make it better. Now I'm on a whole new learning curve. While it our new website needs an incredible amount of work, I decided to publish it anyway with the help of my son, Nathan. Visit (http://www.scrappigators.com/) and take a peek. It's just the beginning. I hope to have my shopping cart up and running by the end of September and some contests in place by the end of October.

Now after spending the day crammed in front of a computer, I think I need to scrap -- bye for now!

H2H Tag Challenge

I just got back from the CKC Convention in Valley Forge when I saw the new Heart2Heart Challenge and its requirement to involve tags. I viewed this as a perfect opportunity to play with acrylics I saw and use up some scraps at the same time!

I love making cards from scraps! I found some wonderful sentiments on a mostly-used Emporium Level 1 Sticker set, backed them with scraps from Emporium B&T’s and mini-glue-dotted them onto a clear card base (Z1323).

I made my tag from a Twilight cardstock scrap, colored a White Daisy Clear Bloom (Z1300) with Buttercup ink (Z2110) and adhered an Emporium sticker in the center. I used the tail end of a Z1127 Chocolate Ribbon Round as my tag topper. I edged papers and stickers with Twilight Ink (Z2160)

Since this is a greeting card, I wanted to make sure that I could write a sentiment on the inside of the card, so I considered myself most fortunate to find a journaling blank among my leftover Emporium stickers. So I placed my sentiment on the lower portion of my Clear Card album and left the top open for my sticker. I positioned the journaling sticker to it could be seen above the sentiment.

After adhering two layers of B&T’s on top of the cardstock tag, I cut the blank top off the “beautiful moments” sticker and adhered it to the tag. Next I adhered the flower with a glue dot, then the center of the flower with the Stickese sticker. Finally, I added my tag topper and adhered it with glue dots and now I have a most unusual card.

Two Challenges: Triple the Scraps & Heart2Heart Color Challenge

I struggled with what projects to take with me to work on at the Friday Night Crop at the CKC Convention in Valley Forge, PA. It hit me Thursday morning (we left Thursday evening) that this would be a WONDERFUL opportunity to catch up on ALL of my missed challenges! I was five behind on my Triple the Scraps scripture challenge and I wanted to do this week’s Close to My Heart Color Challenge.


So, I frantically looked for scriptures and art for three out of the five challenges, added a few last minute projects, and was confident that I would have plenty to do while making huge strides to finish overdue projects during our four-hour cropping window. I failed to factor one element into my best-laid plans: EXHAUSTION! After a grueling, 10,000-step, six-class day, my world took on Alice-in-Wonderland angles and shapes. My inability to cut a straight line with a ruler/trimmer magnified itself to the power 10. Scallops were lost and edges skewered. But how like our heavenly Father is it to accept us as we are, odd angles and all? Rather than redo the project, I decided to let the imperfections remain because we are flawed creatures who can rest in our Father’s perfections.

“You should have seen her!” my roommate Melissa shared with our two other cropping partners – Tina and Erica. “By 10:00 she was nodding off at the table with pop dots in her hand.” The next day, after another five classes and almost 6,000 steps, I added the final touch to the project -- “stitching” – while sitting in my minivan waiting for my three traveling companions to finish their last class. I used three-general stamping on my little birds and created my scallops with an EK Success corner rounder.

I used the following products to complete this project.

 Vineyard Berry cardstock (1248)

 Vineyard Berry Exclusive Ink (Z2257)

 Blush Cardstock (Z2257)

 Crème Brulee cardstock (X5754)

 Black Exclusive Inks (Z2305)

 Classic Cap Alphabet stamp set (D1110)

 Love Birds stamp set (C1396)

Challenge 15 -- Fear Not

An expected noise, swooshing branches scratching the side of a house, thunder-splitting lightening assaulting a nearby tree – who isn’t afraid of things that go bump in the night? But Scripture tells us we have nothing to fear for our Lord is with us always. He strengthens us in the middle of the storm. He keeps us safe in the unsafe places. He has plans for us. So when we’re afraid, we can draw courage from Isaiah 41:10 as we move through the danger and experience victory at His right hand.

Triple the Scrap’s Fear Not” challenge begged for monsters which were not part of my inventory until my CTMH convention bundle arrived last week. So I put together another sneak preview using products schedule for release on September 1. I used the Hooligans Level I Paper Pack X7129A which included the cardstock and stickers for the 6” x 6” page, squares, and “Boo!!” I used my EK Success powder brush to de-stick the stickers. I used the felt monsters for added depth from CTMH’s Hooligans Level 2 Assortment ( Z1332). I edged with Black Exclusive Inks (Z2105) and one of our new fall colors, Lagoon (Z2195).

I took a short cut and used some mini-shimmer alpha stickers from Making Memories for the “Fear Not” title rather than break open a new pack of our Color Ready Bold Alphabets (X5750). I can blame it on my two larger dogs (Bo @ 65 pounds and Tally @ 55 pounds) who are deathly afraid of thunderstorms. Just I finished, thunder, lightening, and a more than wet thunderstorm swept by our house. Lucy (a 28-pound fireball) was pretty nonchalant about the whole thing, but Bo and Tally were completely undone. They could not “fear not.”

Challenge 15 -- Forgive

Somebody spilt the milk! Was it the cow in Close to My Heart’s Howdy Acrylix Stamp Set (D1435)? Or was it the farmer’s son who tried to take shortcuts when he was sent out to milk the cow who was never returned to the barn the night before? Should the unseen farmer’s son be forgiven? Proverbs 17:9 tells that when we forgive, we extend love to others. How real is that? . . . and maybe even Bossie will forgive him for leaving her outside all night long.




Besides the Howdy stamp, I used the following products:

 Splendor Level 2 paper pack (scraps)

 Back Country Level 2 paper pack (scraps)

 Olive Exclusive inks (Z2137)

 Barn Red Exclusive inks (Z2104)

 Chocolate Exclusive inks (Z2111)

 Cricut Old West cartridge for the letters

Heart2Heart What's Cookin' Challenge

One of my favorite tea houses is the Victorian Lady (http://www.victorianladytea.net/) in Milford, Delaware. Kay Young (the owner) has a five-course tea luncheon that is a must for every special occasion. She starts with soup, then scones, fruit, sandwiches and dessert. Of course, you have your choice of teas. When I saw the Heart2Heart recipe challenge, I immediately thought of Kay. So I called her and got a recipe for each course and placed them in my mini recipe box which I made from a coffee holder that I got at the Gaylord in Washington D.C. during our CTMH Convention. I used our soon to be released stamps titled “A Sip” (A1109) and Royal Birth (D1441). Of course, no crown is complete without bling, so I bejeweled it with Bitty Sparkles (Z1263). I have five recipes in the mini-box (one for each course) and attached tea bag labels with Cranberry Waxy Flax (Z1086). I stamped and edged with Cranberry Exclusive Inks (Z2116) and used That’s Amore Level 2 Paper Pack (X7107B) scraps to cover the coffee holder inside and out.

Scrapbook in Year Encourages Artist Expression for College Professor

Scripture tells us that “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.” – Proverbs 17:22 (New King James Version). Dr. Sharon Yoder, who has a PhD in Humor, can bear witness to that philosophy. Having more than her share of trials and tribulations, she crests challenge like an experienced surfer riding the big waves off the South African coast. Other than running into Sharon at a local Wal-Mart or in a grocery store maybe once every five or seven years, I had lost touch with her and her life adventures.

A motivational speaker and college professor as well as a widowed “Nana”, Sharon is not one to confine herself to the box that contains so many people’s thoughts and activities. After stumbling across a social networking notice about “online scrapbooking” (Studio J), Sharon decided to send me an email. What a joy after almost 15 years of separation.

Once she saw my Scrapbook in a Year program, Sharon immediately switched her focus from digital to classic scrapbooking. Of course, she didn’t want her first scrapbook to be chronological, so we easily adapted the SIAY program to cover her four-point, themed scrapbook titled “Nana Loves. . . “

I captured Sharon’s earliest efforts on film and wanted to share them with you. Using red as a central color scheme (Cranberry & Tulip), Sharon will add photos to her cover page next week. Literally starting from scratch, Sharon views her scrapbooking product acquisitions as legacy-building equipment and supplies. She’ll be purchasing CTMH’s new cranberry faux leather 12”x12” album in September when it will be released. I’ve also outfitted her with a red TheScrapRack ™ travel case (email me at dcookwrites@cookworkshop.com for ordering information) to launch her organizational efforts. She also selected the CTMH My Acrylix Block Organizer (Z185) (visit http://dianecook.myctmh.com and click on “products” to view our online catalog or “shop online” to order) to house her first three blocks and the Stamp Pad Tower (Z4132) to hold her first six-piece set of Exclusive Inks.

“I love being organized from the outset,” Sharon said at our Tuesday morning meeting on July 14th. “It’s efficient and helps me develop good habits from the beginning. This is great!”

Sharon is truly a Scrappigator friend who is looking forward to many years of sharing the heart of her world through scrapbooking and cardmaking. Welcome aboard, Sharon.