Taylor's Home!!

I am so relieved and thankful that "our" Princess Taylor is now at home and thriving. I'm sure what I feel is NOTHING compared to her Mom's pleasure. They have been without pleasure, even simple pleasures for such a very long time. I thought I would send them this card to celebrate the homecoming. It's a very simple card using chocolate and pink Bazzill cardstock, and Pirouette Pink SU! designer paper. A little diamond stickles, Robin's Nest clear dew drops, SU! button, border punch, ribbon and twine round it off. The stamps are from Unity and I used Memento rich cocoa ink.

What Mom doesn't love a thought about her child? So I added 6 cards, using ivory base stock, Memento rich cocoa ink, and House Mouse Happy Hopper images. I bundled these 6 cards up with some princess pink ribbon. These are for Taylor to use - to keep her busy coloring, and to help her express her happiness with different people. I do hope they will love it. Not for me, but just a little added joy at being home!

Peace be the journey - cool runnings.

Ta for now, ~ky

Hanging Over with the Chicas!

It was a busy day. I was in and out. I slept, I thought...I tried! I didn't make nuthin. BUT I won't leave you hanging...

This project was completed for the weekly YSHLUA challenge. It's just for fun, it's in the Unity Friends forum, and we try to come up with something zany. Kristen is our hostess this week, so stop by and play!! This card was for Lee's turn, and she wanted us to make a project with as many layers as our SCS username - 9 layers for me! To use 3 embellishments and make it monochromatic. It was fun, tho. Hope you enjoy it and have a great day!

Ta for now, ~ky

Let me say....CONGRATULATIONS SISTAHS!

Shannon is now the official Stamping IDOL! OMG - have you been watching the action?? She ROCKS. Go give her some LOVE!!

Jacquie is now an official STAMPING MAID for Queen Kat Designs! Keep an eye on her - she's going places!

I'm glad to say, I KNEW THEM WHEN...

I didn't make the cut, but that's because there's a heck of a lot of talent out there. Which makes every one of you all the more special because you are our biggest fans! Give yourself a hand!!

So...here's what I submitted - thought you'd like to see it. I cannot produce any more of these articles until I buy the Tilly stamp. Kat was very generous to allow us to use an electronic image for our competition. THANKS KAT! So I will honor her instructions and only post the two projects I made for the DT call. This is Tilly, dressed up two ways.

The top one is done with metallic pencils, and brushed over by a thin coat of stickles (diamond). The bottom one is done in SU! markers with beads and flower soft. I then applied a little Glossy Accents to give the feel of her having just flopped out of the water. I just love her little pout!

This next one was done when I was in a meeting.... It's okay - I'm retired now! It was hand drawn with gel pens.

So there you have it! Hope you had fun - stop by tomorrow, I might have something new.

Ta for now, ~ky

Relax.........

It's been a stressful day, but I managed to get some ink on paper. This is for the Etsy Inspired Challenge (EIC) #37. This week's store is Sunbasilgarden, a custom soap store. Really nifty! I selected the banana bunnies for my inspiration piece. I know that's a real shocker!

Seeing the bunny soaps made me think of a relaxing hot bath. This image has little steam curls coming up from the water, and I started thinking about what it might look like to a bunny with a good imagination. The Basic Grey paper was the perfect image! What's a bath without a curtain? So...I grabbed the lace my dear friend Kristen sent to me a few weeks ago. Wal-la! Actually, I think that's voile...but I'm mixing languages. Then just a simple tag with "indulge" printed tone-on-tone.

Details on SCS in my gallery.

So...there you have it. A relaxing bunny bath complete with imaginary flowers. Hope you have a stellar day! If not, a nice bath might be just the ticket.

Peace be the journey - cool runnings.

Ta for now, ~ky

So Many Challenges...So Little TIME

Well......VSN has been over for a week and I still haven't posted about them! BOBL! {that's Big Ole Belly Laugh for you who haven't been around me enough}

Let me show you just a few projects I love:

The theme (Virtual Stamp Night always has a theme) was Las Vegas. So all the challenges had to do with some Vegas related inspiration. The card above was a sketch challenge, and the sketch was inspired by the slot machine displays! I thought this was such a cool challenge, and I love how mine turned out! Click here for my card's details. Go leave some of the other players some love in the gallery.

The card above was created for the CSI: Las Vegas challenge. We were to "frame" something. I found this intriguing and it took awhile for me to get my idea. Again - click here for the details, and here to leave some love and see the other wonderful creations!
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The project above just has to be displayed inside and out. I adore this project, which resulted from the Las Vegas buffet challenge that I coupled with Project Tuesday's peek-a-boo treat holder challenge. The sentiment has brought many a smile, and I hope it will again when I mail it to a special someone. Again - here are the details... and here are the other projects.

Please visit those other projects and leave some love!! Please?? With sugar and a cherry on top!? Be watching for the next VSN, and join us!

Peace be the journey - cool runnings.

Ta for now, ~ky

Hang Out with the Hangover-ers

Yep - it's Friday again! You know what that means...Hip Hop Hangover for Unity peeps! My post will be short today.



Memorial Day is coming. Do you have a tradition? Visiting your loved ones cemetery area and sprucing them up? Taking in a parade to honor our veterans? Celebrating a hero among you?



I really don't have a tradition. My Dad is retired Air Force, and he never liked to have us make a fuss. I think that was because he was dealing with his own issues of all the men who served and died that he had personally known.



Today - I would like to take a moment and recognize my heros. You see them every day. They work behind the scenes, giving of themselves quietly with no expectation of glory or remuneration. They are the volunteers. They come in all shapes, colors and sizes. They even come in an array of species. They clean community spaces, take homebound people where they need to go, deliver meals to shut-ins, help with crossing the street, just sit and let a lonely someone pet them. Thank a volunteer today. It's enough pay to them - I promise!


Thanks for stopping by. Have a GREAT Memorial Day weekend! Stop by SCS and chat with us! Check out Unity's specials! They're HOT.


Peace be the journey - cool runnings.


Ta for now, ~ky

Bunny Bath...or is it STEW??

Here it is. My new ring!

Monday Monday...Can't Trust that Day

Well, it was a rockin' crafty weekend. We had Unity's Hip Hop on Thursday, and the 100-blog KOTM Blog Hop began on Friday. If you didn't get to hop, you still can. Start at the Unity blog, (scroll down 12 screens) and hop around. You may need to scroll through some of the posts to see their contributions, but it's well worth the extra effort.

Friday evening, Splitcoast Stampers hosted a Virtual Stamping Night, or VSN. When it was first convened, it was one night. Due to its popularity, it has grown into a night and a day plus. We had a blast! There were lots of prizes from Scor-Pal, My Favorite Things, Gina K, Hanna Stamps, Flourishes and Unity Stamps!

WHAT??!!?? You haven't played? Well get yourself over to the forum and start stamping! You have until Tuesday night at 10 P.M. EDT. Here's a little project I did for the last challenge. The theme of this VSN was Viva Las Vegas, and this challenge incorporated how people tie the knot in Vegas. We used a cake for our inspiration, and tied a knot, bow, etc. to represent the commitment.

I used a cake slice template similar to those recently used by Shannon and Ashley in their award winning projects! I used a slice of embossed paper for the icing between the layers, seed beads I've had for years as the icing trim. I used SU! patterned paper to simulate a floral frosting on top. The toast of the cake is from Angela's stamp design, Unity's This is the Time, embossed in Mark Enterprises' Blue Tinsel powder. A Darice rhinestone flower, Michael's ribbon, and a Boxer clip round out the embellishments.

So - come play! Summer's almost here - remember how you looked forward to summer break? It wouldn't take anything to get you out on your bike with your friends. Reconnect! Go ahead!

Peace be the journey - cool runnings.

Ta for now, ~ky

KOTM Blog **Scroll down for Etsy**

Hi friends! This post will be very short because you have a lot to see and do today! View the Unity Kit of the Month Blog Hop by starting at http://theunitystampco.blogspot.com/


Here's my project:

You know all those fabulous new folders that Unity has been packaging their stamps in? This is one of those! Recovered and turned into a stamp bank! Here's a close-up:

It's made with the March 2009 KOTM and My Mind's Eye papers. Now, off to CAROLE the Fibrejunky!

Enjoy your hop!!

Peace be the journey - cool runnings.

Ta for now, ~ky

Etsy Inspired Challenge #35

Here's a little card I whipped up after being inspired by the Etsy Store Bealoo. She has so many adorable images, it was hard to pick just one. So, instead, I just used all the princess art she has to create this project:

This uses the Unity set Spunky Princess, which was designed for Taylor Jones. Five dollars of every purchase is returned to the Jones' to help with medical expenses. You can read about Taylor at the Caring Bridge. The card also uses the dress from Unity's Cocktail Party, Bazzill cardstock, Basic Grey Lime Rickey set, Offray ribbon, heat embossing powders, Versamark ink and gold stickles.

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget the Unity KOTM Blog hop is still going on! Have a great weekend!

Ta for now, ~ky

Congrats, WaaaHoo, YAY!!!

We have a WINNER!!! Congrats to my dear friend Ashley Newell for winning a YEAR's worth of Unity KOTMs!!! Go visit her and congratulate while you look at her project! I'm so proud and happy for her. Go ASHLEY!!!

Don't forget to vote for Shannon, Mrs. Mac. She's an IDOL waiting to be voted in!

Thanks to all!

~ky

Here's to All the Moms

Mother's Day. A celebration of those who give and shape lives. A time to remember and reflect. Nostalgia, fragrance, patterns and lace. I miss my Mom, but never more so than when I look at a piece of crochet, a hook, some thread, an embroidery pattern, hand-thrown ceramic ware. I have 6 kids, but only one will call or write. I'm fine with that, for the other 5 depend on me totally for their existence. The sixth? He's about to leave his nest and I have to prepare.

As I've raised him, I've often wondered what touches, things, fragments will he remember. Which will bring a tear, a smile, small comfort. We can plan lots of things, but what becomes important is time and fate's job. I'm sure my Mom had no idea that one of my most poignant memories was of me trying to take a nap with her. In characteristic fashion, my 4-year-old body wouldn't lay still fast enough for her liking. Funny the things we remember.

I also remember the day she was frustrated with us and tearfully said she knew we thought she was stupid (we were teens). My mind reeled, because this lady who had barely an 8th-grade education knew more foreign languages than anyone I'd ever met. And she taught them to us. I never imagined she suffered self-doubt. Perceptions, assumptions...misleading.

So, gather those memories, tell them if you still have your Mom. She might be very curious to know what stuck and what didn't. Hug her, and if you can't hug her, hug her memory. Take a moment to write a note - to her, to you, to posterity. Scribe those memories before they are lost. Someone may find them touching one day. Even if you have no pictures, you can scrapbook the feelings and memories using a bit of old lace, a picture of a pitcher she made, her tools of life. Happy Mom's Day to everyone.

Peace be the journey - cool runnings.

Ta for now, ~ky

EIC #34 Adopt a Critter

I love fuzzy toys. Especially ones that could be anything you want to pretend they are. I used Adopt-a-Critter's Frank for my inspiration. Innent he cute?? {think Foxworthy}

If you need details on Etsy Inspired Challenges, see Ashley's blog here. He kinda reminds me of an owl, and kinda reminds me of at Tribble... So, I went alien with the ideas. Here's my interpretation:

I used old cardstock that I think is Pebbles, ran the dark blue through my Fiskar's crimper, fibered some mulberry paper, colored the cutie in, used some silver stickles and crushed velvet flocking on him, some Darice googly eyes, silver dew drops, misc ribbon and an MM buckle to dress him up a bit. All the ink is Ranger faded jeans, and the image is Unity's Cuter than Most! He's also in the SCS gallery here if you'd like more info.

Gonna fly for now. I have many things I need to craft today. Thanks for stopping by - oh, and have a great Mother's Day.

Peace be the journey - cool runnings.

Ta for now, ~ky

Hang out with the Hungover!!

Wow. Unity keeps bringing it. I keep buying it. Mostly I keep lovin' it! It's about the stamps, but it's NOT about the stamps. The ladies really care - both owners, workers and customers! They have held me up so many times, and I am so glad to be able to hold them up in return. They are the BEST. Here's two of my project for this hip hop:

Do you hoard like I hoard? These scraps are from 2004. Yep, 2004. I keep way too much schtuff. It comes in handy!! Here's the deets.

This card didn't have to wait as long to become a scrap project. I still love it. I need to use those litte MM eyelets more often. I have always adored them. Deets here.

So, you have miles (or blogs) to go before you sleep. Thanks for stopping by!

~ky

STRESSED???

Try this challenge:

1. Look at the things that are overwhelming or stressing you. Assign them a color of cardstock or a patterned paper (3 max).

2. Then, look at the things you love but feel you don't have time for - pick a stamp that could symbolize it or the feelings you're missing.

3. Just put it together - don't think, don't stress. Smell the rubber, the ink, feel the texture. Close your eyes and imagine. Let it carry you away. You don't care what it will look like. You are assigning stress to this project, and latching onto the love you're missing.

4. When you're done - burn it. Light it on fire, and let it melt your stress away.

5. Come back and tell me, blog about it, or go chat up your experience in the Unity forum, In a Creative Rut thread.

Peace be the journey - cool runnings.

Ta for now, ~ky

Toooo Late...

Welll....I had this card done way in advance. Then I misread the post for the Unity F.I.R.S.T. challenge, and put it in the gallery too late. So - you get to see a bonus! The challenge was to use flowers, insects, ribbon, scallops and teal or turquoise to make a card for Unity's anniversary week.

It's fun and cheery and I will probably send this to Princess Taylor to congratulate her on her homecoming! I'm so thrilled that she is progressing! {card details HERE}

You still have time to play the remaining Unity challenges: a one layer card with a birthday theme, and a card inspired by high-end cake designs! You can read more about the challenges on SCS. Angela will have new sales and probably new releases on Thursday. Join us for Hip Hop!

Peace be the journey - cool runnings.

Ta for now, ~ky

Have You Ever Thought About...

This hobby, this addiction, this compulsion? My friend Jenn Buck posed a question Monday on our Unity forum in SCS. She asked "Why?" I read every response, and boy, did I love the stories! So, let me go a little deeper (yes, Jimmi, just for you).

From the beginning, women have been the backbone of society (no male bashing, just facts). They stayed in their community, raised the kids, cooked the meals, cleaned, leaned on one another, passed on techniques and recipes, and shared all the work together. They also established most of the "polite" society rules. You can still see vestiges of that societal rule in the stay-at-home moms of the first half of the 1900s. Now, women yearn to be able to stay at home. We've grown more technological and machine dependent. The work of being a woman has changed dramatically.

So have the social constructs. Look around - do you see quilting bees? Days of outdoor canning sessions where everyone pitches in to put up the garden crops? Women who know the struggles of their neighbors for more than just gossip fodder? A place where a newlywed can ask a sensitive question about sex without being thought of as a harlot? Yet, each and every one of us acknowledge the most important aspect of this craft - connectivity.

When I first began teaching scrapbooking, I discovered this eroded female community. Our days sap our energies, our commutes and workloads fragment our home lives, and many of us don't know our neighbors names. I found, through the crops I hosted, that there was a dire hunger for a past-time that could be shared among the young and old alike. A chance to come together, share stories, conquer demons, pick each other up, solve bedwetting issues and the like. It was an Aha! moment for me.

I began a crusade...you are all living in my test lab and are wonderful examples - even you silent lurkers! I made it my passion to find and bring groups of ladies together. No, I don't really make that obvious, conscious effort, but I find this common thread running through us all. Even the silent lurkers crave the community of peers, the warm wishes of a friend, the knowledge that no one really has to be alone. Paper crafting solves that need to keep our hands busy and our hearts light. It is the "new" quilting bee.

And so, it is with great delight that I thank each and every one of you for touching my lives, for recognizing the true need for this hobby, the extra fulfillment it brings that goes beyond the tangible, and the deepest answer to the question "Why". We may build a paper house, but we touch the world. Sleep well my friends.

Peace be the journey... cool runnings.

Ta for now. ~ky

I was never in a Sorority, only a Fraternity...

So I'm finally doing something I said I'd never do. Join a sorority. No offense to anyone out there who loves the sorority life, but boys were always way more fun!! I've found a sorority that actually sounds like the fun my old Fraternity was. Queen Kat Designs has created the Whimsical Ink sorority! So come get hazed and pinned with me! Go here for the details!

SHOUT OUT!!

As some of you know, Unity had a contest for the guest Design Team member and Candace won! Go see her work! Another Unity gal got recognized by Card of the Week - YAY Kristen!



This is the project I completed for the Unity guest design team member competition. There were tons of talented gals competing, so I don't feel bad for not winning. I will be forwarding this project to Amy of Chick Books (also at goodreads.com) along with a couple of bookmarks to be given to a special winner. Visit Amy's site and tell her how remarkable she is for giving away such great books!



So...you can see the detail for this project HERE. I hope you enjoy it. Congrats again, sweet Unity gals! I can't wait to see what you'll do!

Peace be the journey...cool runnings.

Ta for now, ~ky

A Little Etsy Love

****If you're looking for my Hangover post, scroll down****

This is the last project for the Etsy Inspired Challenge design team spots. We were to use the Opalescence store to get our inspiration this week. I love that store. My Mom taught me early on to crochet, so I just love to feel the textures and enjoy the colors of spun yarn. Hand spun even more so! Here is a sample of the yarn that inspired my project. It's Deep Forest Handspun and Handpainted.

I love the texture. It just looks like it would be nubby and smooth at the same time. I reflected on the slowly disappearing art of hand spinning fibers. To those who don't appreciate the art, it seems like madness and wasted time. To me, it honors the animal or plant from which the base strands are harvested. This thought made me choose the quote from Angela Monet: Those who hear not the music, think the dancers mad. Enjoy!

I used Bazzill textured cardstock, and Basic Grey's Offbeat patterned paper. I heat embossed the flower image (Verve) with Colorbox ink and Ranger copper embossing powder. The saying is stamped in StazOn black, the ribbon is American Crafts, the brads are Basic Grey and the single clear dew drop highlights the center of the flower. I had fun with this, and I hope you'll stop back by this weekend for more projects from this week.

Peace be the journey - cool runnings.

Ta for now, ~ky