Aliens Made Me Do It!

 I got my morning laugh when I was attempting to get a decent photo of my latest Craft Roulette entry...

  Before I get too lengthy with this post, which I probably won't, I'm on very little time today, I have zero extra... I recognize my photos are not up to professional photo lab standards...I will tell you, taking a photo of SILVER metallic card stock...is next to impossible in my chocolate facility...and it turns out looking GOLD...  what made me laugh, was my "originals"...had a unique looking HAND in the image, sort of alien like...haha...it was my hand/reflection...  as I attempted the second time...it was my MORNING FACE...  I am NOT a morning person, so, to get a little laugh out of me, was perfection.  I'm in a funky mood today, and I suspect for at least the next 1/2 a day, it will be my only chuckle.  Later, my sweet daughter is flying into town, I cherish those times together, now that we live 1500 miles apart!  yikes!  Ultimately, for my pictures, I took them at an angle, where the reflection was the ceiling...ahhh our ceiling is pale yellow, ok, I see why it's gold looking...  I give up...  for now, this picture will have to do.

Inside of my alien card! 

 

 I'm going to be fast here...and brief...here are the parameters and my justifications!:

• Project:  A belated birthday card!!!  Unfortunately, I need these more often than I should!
• Colors:  I googled and this is what I found: 

 

• Element:  I chose an alien spaceship!
• Random Sparkles:  Sparkles, sparkles everywhere!!!  Wink of Stella (spaceship), Holographic Star Film (Blended background, planet), Star Shaker Sprinkles, Star Rhinestones

 As a recap... I don't know what I think of this card...I feel it's missing something, and if I were to redo, I'd probably NOT go with the metallic silver card stock.  Don't get me wrong, I really love that card stock, but the last few times I've used it, it's hard to hide glue messes, it needs to be polished, otherwise you get fingerprints, and now, learning how hard it is to photograph....I think I'll put it on hold for awhile!!!  lol!

NOTE TO SELF and others about this card stock...  Be careful IF you glue it on...I love my needle nose applicator on my white glue...if you touch the tip on the back of the card stock, when applying the glue...it will show lines on the front side...trust me...this lesson, I've learned MANY TIMES.  Tape might be better...  another NOTE TO SELF...if you use that really cool zip glue..DON'T USE IT ON THE BACK OF ANYTHING THAT HAS THE HOLOGRAPHIC FILM APPLIED TO IT!!!  I might actually have someone argue with me on this one, but trust me...I've learned the very hard way...your film will PUCKER when that zip glue dries...  I LOVE that zip glue, but...it will not work with everything...

SUPPLY LINKIES 

Zip Glue :  I LOVE this stuff otherwise

Holographic Laminate Star Sticker Paper :  Do yourself a favor and order this!  A crafter suggested it, and I go through it like crazy!!!  It's not pricey either, and so fun!!!!

Aliens Landed in Roswell (Scrappy Boy Stamps)  Fun company that specializes in fandom. 

So, there you have it!  Another week went by...  I do want to emphasize...  I am NOT an affiliate with any of the above mentioned suppliers.  I just like the supplies and love to pass on info to others.  To be honest, I don't even know how to go about being an affiliate, and often wonder how that works!

Well toodles!

 

 

 

 

Aloha!

 Aloha!

I have been waiting to get my tropically fun Hula girl, island flowers, Hawaii themed embossing folders and the rest out to create with!  The supplies I used were components to the June Spellbinders  clubs.   I started subscribing to the All Crate membership, there are some extra freebies included, and a couple exclusive dies as well.  I know it has sold out early in recent months, so I dare not let my membership go, although you can pause, I believe.  I haven't felt the need to, however, because I fell in craft love with each month since I've joined.  My link will show you September's offering, there are a considerable amount of elements in the Large Die Set, and I really liked what I saw in the remainder of that kit....that little fox, well I'm smitten...

So, ALOHA!  It's been 4 decades or better since I've been to the islands, and I'm over the moon excited to say, I'm headed to paradise within the next few months.  I remember the last time I was sitting on the stretch of beach where our family time-share condo is, telling myself, that if I ever found my soul lost, I will find it there on that beautiful little stretch of land in Maui.  I recognize I've been through some personal, deeply hard stuff, and it's time for me to see that sunset...  My lil family has traveled, just not over the aqua marine ocean, where the first whif you smell off the airplane is orchids...  We used to travel there yearly, when I was a teen/young adult, I just never did after I grew up and started my own family.  I'm excited, to say the least, and my grown up kiddos are coming too, so...it will be even more fun.

(my little stretch of beach on the insides here) 

 

 I LOVED this episode of Craft Roulette.  I wish I had had more time, because I kind of rushed my card.  I definitely want to use these dies again in the near future.  As always, I learn something with every single card...and this one, I kind of took the plunge without trying to figure out how things actually are put together.  The hula girl can be a little tricky with her hula skirt, and I skipped extra little components like inside fire, etc., simply because I didn't have a ton of time.  All in all, though, I'm ok with that...my goal isn't to take 10 hours making a card...  That being said, it did turn out to be about 4...lol...

So...here's the scoop:

1.  Project/Gatefold:  I don't make many of these, for one, they are hard to take a photo of.  That being said, they are incredibly easy, and something different.  No matter how much I score, or adhere heavy card stock to the front, it still pops open... oh well, inside an envelope, it won't.  In the meantime, pretty fun to make, so, I don't freak when I see this parameter pop up.  I've made more Gatefolds since I started participating in Craft Roulette than I have in a lifetime....hahahaha...I don't think I ever had..it would be interesting to see how many I've done in my 127 contributions.

 

2.  Colors/Vacation:  Aloha and Island vibes here....  Oh, how I can't wait to see that crystal clear ocean!

 

3.  Element/CAS From Last Week's Gallery:  I CAS'd Pam Kennedy's card!  I loved the patterned paper she selected and the kraft card stock backing.  I pulled similar leaves out of the pattern on her paper, and tried to go with similar colors!  I will say, there were a few others in the Gallery that I was inspired by as well, it was very hard to choose.  I did pull from a couple other cards, I loved the layout of Brie Barron's card, if you picture my card without my hula girl...you'd see a similar layout.  Lastly, Xal Storm, when I saw the image on her card...I knew I was doing a hula girl...I kind of already knew I was going to anyhow, but seeing her card, sealed the deal..."Vacation" sent me in that direction from the getgo.

 

4.   Random/Paper Strip(s):  Had I paid attention to the parameters closer, I could have finished this card sooner.  Not sure why I was thinking THREE "Paper Strips".  Well, I have 3 now, lol...  My beach on the inside of the card, are not ONE, not TWO, but THREE paper strips!  lol  (I could also be stretchy pants here, and say, I used paper strips to die cut my hula girls tiny little flowers on her arms and ankles...)(I like my beach much better...my THREE beaches, lol)

 

So, what did I do different or learn this week?  Well.. for starters...I am getting in the habit of IMMEDIATELY using a  Magnet Sheet when I pull apart and use my dies.  Otherwise, I risk losing a tiny little die...sort of like I lost some ephemera last week, that I NEVER found.  Gone gone GONE goner there.  I honestly do not know where my "changed my mind", "I decided not to use paper pieces" disappeared to!  (you can read about my blunder if you choose...I promise you, I have a ghost in my room)

 

I have a big ole mess on my desk...but I'll share one more thing I started doing.  For starters, it isn't going to help me use up my GIANT supply of colored card stock...  BUT...  I started  cutting all my die cut pieces out in WHITE...and coloring up with my alcohol markers...this card, I decided not to dig through my scraps, but go all white, and color accordingly.  Now, call me lazy, which I am...I simply didn't want to get up and rummage through my scraps, cut into a new sheet of some color, or even move my body to my Big Shot, on the other side of my table.  My room is busting at the seems with inventory, and it gets hard to navigate to the "other side" without something falling on the ground off of my conference size table.  That, plus I have a bad hip and either my room is shrinking, or....or....yikes...  you know, covid or baby weight there...  Instead, I used my  Intri-Cut Die Cutting Machine I purchased awhile ago...it's more portable (stored on my side of the table) , and IF I can find surface space...I can cut away without having to move, lol.

 

I think I covered my bases here, and then some.  I realize I'm chatty, and I often don't proof read...it's not because I don't think I need to, it's because my time is so pulled in 10 different directions, with lots of distractions, I do this sitting at my desk in the factory when I need to play hooky for a few!

 

It starts again tomorrow night!  I may need to skip, I have 1000 fortune cookies shipping all over the nation, that...and so much more, like chocolate horseshoes, purple candy coated milk chocolate owls, and HALLOWEEN is starting to ship to our retailers, it's crazy town already!

 

BOO!
 

 

Aloha! 

 

 

 

 

 

Swap Cards Paperganza 2026

 Swapping.  I used to do a lot of that back in the day.  I corresponded with a few other paper crafters on the AOL message boards, so LONG ago....  I vaguely remember when those ended, and we all talked about this thing called Facebook.  It really dates us here.  Several of these online acquaintances have continued to keep in touch, and I consider many close friends of mine, even though we have never met face to face.  (I did get to meet up with one in Minnesota years ago, it was fun!)  Although I haven't participated in an online swap literally for over 15 years or so, I did join in recently while Kansas City at Craft Roulette, Paperganza retreat.

Paperganza by Craft Roulette 2026 continued the "swap" like the year before.  At a certain time, we all entered the hall and like a swarm of bees started busily trading cards.  Here was mine:

I chose to do a dreaded A9 size card (5-1/2" x 8-1/2") since that seems to be vetoed consistently on the Craft Roulette night.  (Every week the guest gets to "veto" one thing off the wheel)...  I personally, LOVE it when the wheel lands on something out of my comfort zone..  I think it stretches my imagination more, and I tend to think my most creative cards came from a not very (at first) wanted parameter.  

My supplies here, are worth a mention...

First, I have to say, one of the best stamp purchases I feel I have bought is:  Thinking Out Loud, which is great for anchoring sentiments.  I have other dies too, which I equally think are great to have, you can do a lot of fun things with either the stamped or die cut version of a thought bubble. 

When I saw the release of Pam-Purr Yourself, I thought it was the cutest thing.  I didn't really start out with thinking I'd be making this for my swap cards, I just kind of started coloring the cat up, and then found myself coloring 19 more.  (I gave one to each of our pod-mates too)...  I originally planned on a completely different card, but...this was fun to color, so I ran with it.

I also used stencils for the bubbles on the inside, various dies and an embossing folder.  If you are interested in my suppliers there, just let me know.  They are all pretty basic to find, and there are many companies who offer similar supplies.

 A couple of fun things to share here...

 Starform Deco Stickers - Small Glitter Dots have become a new favorite supply of mine.  Instead of enamel dots, I applied my little round stickers, that I colored with alcohol markers.  I was able to match my fun patterned paper that way, and not  have a clashing accent.  These mail flat, and the sheets overall are extremely cost efficient, aka...cheap...as compared to packages of enamel dots, which may clash or even come off in the mail.  I chisel both (enamel dots and these stickers) with my little pokey tool and both can go "flying" across my desk trying to get off the backing.  I'll wake up sometimes, with an enamel dot, or now a little sticker stuck to me that I didn't realize.  I mention this because I'd rather lose an inexpensive sticker dot, than a precious enamel dot...it seems like I'm always "short" one in the color I need...not the case here...you get TONS on a sheet, and we all know how many alcohol marker colors there are.  (a sharpie will work too!)  

 Another find I'm happy I stumbled upon is the Silver Metallic Card Stock I used for this card.   I can't complain about the quality one iota, nor...the price.  I'm not afraid to waste a piece and more apt to use that special paper, when it's not costing me $1 or better per card!  It's more like $ .28 a sheet, and I can get 4 cards off of one since I typically glue my card front to a lighter weight folded card.  

Lastly, for convenience, I'm sharing a link to the envelopes:  A9 Envelopes.  What I didn't know, is that assuming your card is flat enough, or not too heavy, it requires the same postage as a regular card.  I really enjoy making an A9, I'm glad it landed on the wheel Episode #317 a few months ago!

If you popped on here yesterday, you would have read some additional comments on swapping.  I enjoy swapping, but, with everything, there are pros and cons...  I am choosing to not speak of the cons here, although had you read yesterday, you may have gotten a bit of it, yikes.  My take on swaps, is more of an opportunity to meet new people, and get new ideas and, hopefully spark some inspo along the way too.  I can honestly say, all of those boxes have been checked for me.  It's not supposed to be stressful.  It can be a learning AND teaching experience, it can be introduction to something new experience.  All and all, it's supposed to be fun...and like gift giving, no expectations, only if you agreed to swap, you really should follow through with that ... I know, life happens, even to me, I had to flake after my niece was killed, but habitually flaking on something you agreed to do, is not good swap etiquette...

I want to finish this up by telling you a story...one that to this minute gets me teary eyed...  

When I was in high school, I was one of a few students who was selected by our counselors to be a "friend" to a student who may need a little help.  It was sensitive and I had to be trained to do this.  I did this for a couple years in a row, and each year, I was a "mentor/friend" to 2 different kids.  I won't go into details too much here, as both had very private situations, that is not my story to share, it's not fair of me to divulge such hard situations, and I did somewhat take a "sworn to secrecy" oath.

My first "friend".... I think my relationship with her, may contribute to why I am so passionate about not taking anything for granted.  I know there are times, where we may forget how blessed we are, but, this individual truly saw horrific life as she fled from her home, even some of  her family, watching a few perish where she traveled to a land away from her own.  (I will not go any farther with where she is from/circumstances, but trust me, I'm a little choked up here still, 45ish years later...)  So, it's Christmas time.  I'm pretty sure she never EVER celebrated Christmas, it was not her custom.  I was so excited to give her a little gift...fully knowing I was not going to get one back.  I carefully picked something thoughtful out (I believe it was a necklace, I know I wanted to do something special)...  I was so excited when she opened that gift, saw the smile on her face....  Then, she reached down into her backpack... and slowly pulled out a package and slid it across the table to ME.  I honestly didn't know what to think...  As I opened it up, I saw those eyes so wide, and the biggest smile...  under the paper sack wrapping, was a doll.  It was one you might find at a dollar store, in a simple box...  I can't tell you how much that gift meant to me, and still does.  I have kept it safely preserved in my redwood chest of childhood keepsakes.  I KNOW she didn't have the means to buy me this doll, but, yet she did...  and it may have been one of the most treasured gifts, satin yellow dress, still in it's box to stay in good condition.

So, my story of LC and my gift?  What does that have to do with swapping?  Maybe nothing, or maybe something.  Just know, swapping can be fun, it's not supposed to be stressful...and perhaps expectations aren't all that...there certainly is something to learn in everything...one person may have a different style than another, but with heart...can mean more than you know.  

 And LC...I would have LOVED to know where life sent you!!!  I suspect you are a doctor, retired by now.  You were so SMART...  I think you helped me more, than I helped you!!!   

 Til next time!