I bought Taylored Expressions dies of eye glasses, and thought they’d be fun to use on a bunch of scraps. I used Tim Holtz scissors and then figured out it was easier to bend the dies to separate them. I used the dies on several pieces of scrapbook paper that were in my scrap bin. I also used a silver foil cardstock for the glass part of the eye glasses so they looked liked mirrored sunglasses.
I made up my own sentiment and typed it on the computer, then printed it on 90 lb card stock. I used an old saying “You’re future’s so bright, you’ll need to wear shades.”
I ran the dies through my die cutting machine with a bunch of manly looking paper scraps, then ran them through again with the silver foil paper. When you die cut foil papers, you need to face the cutting part of the die toward the silver foil. If you put the cutting part of the die on the back of the foil paper, it won’t look right.
I used a piece of navy blue card stock that was 8 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ and scored it at 4 1/4″. If you aren’t sure how to fold paper once it’s scored, you should fold it away from the indented part. Fold it toward the raised fold. It’s not the way you think it should fold, but that’s the best way to fold paper so you don’t end up with cracked paper.
I cut my sentiment out with a rectangle stitched die and put a small pair of sunglasses on it and put it in the inside of the card. I used Glue Dots tape runner and haven’t found it to hold well in the long run, so added some additional wet glue to hold it forever…or until he throws away the card.
I ran the glasses through the Xyron machine then added them to the front of the card on a diagonal, then filled with the smaller sunglasses and glued the silver eye pieces into the centers. I got some wet glue on the silver pieces, so wiped them with a damp rag when I was finished. I trimmed the edges and added a banner with a Happy Birthday greeting die cut in the same silver foil.

It’s been a weird couple of days.  Rich’s oldest brother (twelve years older) committed suicide.  He had some serious issues and was due to be sentenced in court and probably spend the rest of his life in prison.  Rather than face the consequences of his actions, he chose to end his life.  We weren’t surprised, but feel badly for his two adult sons, as they have to handle the aftermath of his actions.

Then last night, I was talking to a very close friend on the phone while she was staying with her elderly mother for the night, and she said, “I think something’s wrong with my Mom,  I need to go.”  This morning she called me back and said her Mom passed away shortly after we talked.  She was ninety-one and had a full life.  Last year for her ninetieth birthday, her family took her to a Cleveland Indians game (her favorite baseball team), and they showed her on the big screen in the stadium.  I’m sure that was the greatest day of her life.  She will be missed.

I’m on to other topics.  Rich is working on putting up a short video for a birthday card I made this week.  He’s still not feeling terrific from his hip treatment, but better than yesterday.  I wish there was a quick fix for his issue, as he’s having a difficult time sleeping and that’s never fun.

As for me, I went to the dermatologist today and have to have a spot biopsied.  I’m super fair skinned and my Mom had melanoma, so need to have my skin checked often.  I’ve had a lot of spots taken off, and it’s not hard to do, just one of those things.

Let’s face it,…Some days are better than others.

 

I want to get serious about sending some thank you cards I have been procrastinating on sending.  I make the cards and they sit in a small pile waiting for me to send them, and I just don’t.  So today is the day.  I’m going to write them and get them ready for the mail.  I even have the stamps for them….I’m just slow to follow through I guess.

I got a new die in the mail and it’s a large one that has small boxes that would be fun to do in a rainbow of colors.  I think I’m going to do that as my next card.

Our friend really liked his sunglasses card and I’ll be getting the video up for it.  These things take time….at least for us.

I went to a bunch of garage sales and found one selling art/craft supplies.  I bought some ribbon that you know I didn’t need, but had to have….I also found a wooden artist’s box for paints, etc.  I decided it was too fun to pass up and think I might try decoupaging napkins onto it.  It might be a total fail, but it was only a dollar, so I thought I’d give it a try.  She was selling Close to My Heart stamp sets and I found one of wildlife that I liked and that was the end of my fun purchases.

Rich went to the therapist today and I decided to wait in the car and read.  It was a lot less stressful than watching him get needles pushed into his muscles.  For the first time, I didn’t mind going with him.

We had lunch with good friends and tonight our town is having a hot air balloon rally.  When the winds are right, the balloons fly over our house, so we’re looking forward to that.  If it doesn’t happen tonight, it might happen tomorrow morning, as the balloons have to fly to a certain area, and they start them so they normally do fly over us.  It’s great to see them in the sky, so many and so colorful.

I’ve gotten a lot of fun responses to the card that was watercoloring under embossing.  I knew the card was hideous for most of the video, but really enjoyed hearing others say the same thing.  I can’t imagine anyone else on YouTube having the nerve to show the crazy mess I made, but thankfully, I’m one nervy girl…

I made a gatefold card that opens with a pop out inside.  I thought the measurements I got from the video I watched had to be wrong, as the inside paper and outside paper were the same length…If you think about it, when you close the card, no matter what you do, you’ll see the paper inside.  So I made the card again, only this time I made the paper in the inside one inch shorter.  There are some diagonal scores and maybe I did them incorrectly, as the paper didn’t fold the way it was supposed to.  I’m really not sure what I keep doing wrong, but the card just isn’t video worthy.  Don’t get me wrong, the cards turned out and were kind of cute, but the measurements are all wacky.  I don’t want to do a video where I can’t give accurate measurements, so I’ve scrapped two videos, drat!

Once I threw in the towel on the gatefold card, I decided to make a card for a male friend’s birthday.  He’s one of those guys that always looks like he just got dressed, as he’s always ironed and looking great.  His wife and I are very good friends, and I wanted to make him a card that was all him.  I have eye glass dies and I thought it would be fun to make a card covered with sunglasses for him.  The glasses remind me of him somehow, so I made the card.  I think it came out OK, but it’s probably not going to get many views as it’s just die cuts on a card base.  Most people aren’t wowed by simple cards like this, but I liked it and I hope he does too.  It’s times like this when I’m happy that my channel isn’t monetized, so I don’t have to worry about a video not getting seen.  I would imagine the people who are paid to be on YouTube have a lot of stress when they make a video that doesn’t appeal to people.  I’m happy when we upload a video, no matter what its content.  (It doesn’t take a lot to make me happy.)

Rich gets his dry needle treatment tomorrow and I’m not looking forward to watching him in a lot of pain like Monday’s visit.  He said he’s going to talk to the man who does it and explain that he doesn’t want a repeat of the pain he experiened on Monday…I don’t blame him, it was awful.  I think I’ll stay in the waiting area this time, as the last two visits were really hard to witness.

 

I saw Gina K from Stamp TV do this technique a long time ago and thought I’d give it a try. Of course hers never looked as bad as mine did for most of the video…

I started with a piece of Fabriano Hot Press Watercolor paper that was 5″ x 3 3/4″ and layered a bright pink piece of card stock under it that was 5 1/4″ X 4″ then used a base that was 5 1/2″ X 4 1/4″ of white Recollections heavyweight 110 lb card stock.

I took water based markers from Stampin’ Up with brush tips and drew simple flowers where I intended to stamp floral stamps over them. I did stamp some leaves, but changed my mind about them later on. After coloring the rough flowers (very rough), I wet them then heat set them.

After the paper was dry, I put it in the MISTI and lined my stamps up so they laid over the flowers I’d scribbled. I used Versafine Ink and stamped it after using my new powder brush on it to ensure no stray powder stayed behind. I used “the worlds best embossing powder” that I bought from Rubbernecker Stamps at the stamp show I attended..here’s the link  http://tinyurl.com/ybpznupf

After heat setting the flowers, I stamped two ferns, after using a variety of green markers directly on the fern stamp. It’s a very old wooden rubber stamp and I’m not sure of the maker. I put embossing powder on the fern images, and heat set them as well.
I know it looks horrible, but now comes the magic.  I took a small sponge dauber and Simon Says Stamp Intense Black Ink and rubbed it all over the front of the card to hide all of my imperfections. The flower stamps I used were not line stamps, but full images so the black ink would not cover the embossed images.   Make sure you use a full image stamp and not an outlined image stamp when doing this technique.
I took green ribbon and taped it around the back of the card, and glued the front of the card to the pink layer.
I used an oval die for the sentiment from the Inky Antics Simple Sentiments set. I took an Open Chamomile stamp from pegstamps.com and here’s the link to it.  http://tinyurl.com/ya64qrkm  and stamped it around the sentiment with the same SSS Intense black ink. I also stamped a small fern stamp from pegstamps.com (here’s the link http://tinyurl.com/yd46glf8 ) with Stampin’ Up handsome hunter ink. I took the same markers I used to color the flowers on the card to color the open chamomile on the sentiment oval. I put foam squares under the oval and laid it on the ribbon.
I had some tiny beads in bright pink and clear plastic that I applied to the centers of the flowers on the card and on the sentiment with wet glue. I let the card sit overnight and finally, it didn’t look scary any more..
The flower stamps I used came from the following link: http://tinyurl.com/y79r36bk
I used the Absorber to clean my stamps that I bought in the automotive dept of Walmart.

I spent last night making a card that really turned out great.  I know it sounds like I’m bragging, but that card spent most of it’s life in the “hot mess” phase.  I was really seriously doubting that it would actually make it to YouTube.  The card used a Stamp TV, Gina K technique called watercoloring under embossing or maybe it was embossing over watercolor.  Regardless, the secret is covering all of your mistakes with black ink on a foam dauber.  You’ll have to see it to believe it, but the card is cute (and I honestly never thought I’d be able to say that during the making of the card.)

I enjoy making cards like that, because it allows viewers to see someone else make a horrible mess and then redeem it.  It helps them to realize that a lot of people have a difficult time making nice cards, but it happens, sometimes when you least expect it.   This card is a real tribute to not giving up, and believe me, I wanted to..

We had a rainy, drizzly morning here, so I didn’t do very much but fold some laundry and read.  I have another card I’d like to tackle tonight, so I have more work for Rich.  He’s still not feeling well from his appointment, and I’m hoping tomorrow is a better day.  He said he’s hurting a lot worse than before and was willing to take some pain medicine, which is really unusual for him to do.

I’m making him a dinner he really likes. Sausage sandwiches…I hope it cheers him up a little bit.  And then off to the craft room.

Yesterday we went about an hour away to get Rich some help with his hip and lower back issues.  The man he went to uses a system called “Dry Needling.”  It’s similar to acupuncture but instead of putting the needles into Eastern Medicine points, they push them directly into the affected muscles and nerves. Then they attach a machine that puts electric pulses into the needles.   After watching him go through so much pain for an hour, I was nauseous…I can’t stand seeing him in hurting so much.  I went though, because I thought it would be good for me to drive him home.  He normally isn’t fond of me driving, but I know he was really hurting, because he drove maybe ten minutes and then turned it over to me.   I probably could have sat in their waiting area, but there was a really talkative woman there, and I just wasn’t up for it.  I was hoping to just sit and read a magazine, but chose to watch Rich instead…Next time I’m bringing a book and staying in the waiting area, unless of course, the same lady is there.  I’m normally fine with strangers, but she made me a little crazy.  Had to tell the front desk that their water cooler was almost out of water and their Keurig could be refilled with water as well, and didn’t this building use to be a post office, and Rich and I made the perfect couple and now I could get a cup of coffee (that I don’t drink)….It went on and on.  Plus I was already tense about Rich getting the needles, as this was his second treatment, and he’d golfed in between, and that was a big mistake.  His muscles and nerves were inflamed from golfing so every time a needle went in, he almost screamed.  He goes back twice a week until they think he’s fixed.  I’m not sure how long that will be, but he’s got a lot more range of motion after they abuse him, so he does see immediate help…No other treatments gave him that.

It’s been raining on and off today, so we did some grocery shopping and I finished a book.  I have a technique that Gina K did a while ago that she called embossing over watercolor, and I’m going to give that a go.  I think I’ll wait a little bit and then go make some cards.  Some days it takes a lot for me to go to the craft room.  Today is one of those days.

I wanted to share the best ways to clean stamps, both red rubber and clear acrylic, plus your stamp positioning tools, including the MISTI,  Tim Holtz Stamp Platform and the Stamp Perfect.

Red Rubber Stamps:
I wanted to try to clean my Carolyn Shores Wright red rubber stamps that have been stamped with archival inks a long time ago. I wasn’t able to get them clean at the time, and thought we’d give them a good cleaning to see what we could remove. I tried all of the stamp cleansers except the Hero Arts and they all removed a small amount of ink. I used 91% rubbing alcohol and wiped the stamp and it took a lot more of the ink off of the stamp.

I recommend rubbing alcohol any time you are trying to clean archival ink, as I think it does a nice job of cleaning it. I used a Rub it Scrub it with my homemade stamp cleanser to get the alcohol off of the stamp. I also like to use an old or inexpensive embossing ink pad and stamp it all over your red rubber stamps after you clean them, so they are conditioned. Don’t wipe off the embossing ink as it is glycerin and does a wonderful job of keeping your stamps in good working order.

Close to My Heart Link: https://sanner.closetomyheart.com/default.aspx

Stampin’ Up cleanser link:
lbfiedler@gmail.com…If you contact Lydia on email, she’ll take care of any of your Stampin’ Up needs.

Ranger Inkssentials Stamp Cleanser Link: This is a dauber http://tinyurl.com/ybma8fd4

Hero Arts Stamp Cleanser link: http://tinyurl.com/ybmmkvnz

My own homemade cleanser is
1 tsp. baby shampoo (I buy mine at the Dollar Tree)
10 tsp. water
1/4 tsp glycerin (optional)

Rub it Scrub It link: http://tinyurl.com/y9hxp9j4

When I cleaned my stamps, all of the store bought cleansers work about the same. The Hero Arts will take more ink off of your stamps, but it is really harsh and smells terrible. I prefer the alcohol instead.

Clear Stamps:
I used my own stamp cleanser on an old dirty archival ink stained clear stamp, and then used Hand Sanitizer from the Dollar Tree to clean it. It does an amazing job of cleaning them. I used micro brushes to get in the grooves as well as QTips, and both do a terrific job of getting in the old ink off of your clear stamps.

Aliexpress eyeshadow brushes: http://tinyurl.com/y8owovbh

Lawn Fawn Stamp Shammy Link: http://tinyurl.com/y8j3mb8c
Absorber Link: http://tinyurl.com/ybgx6xnr

The Absorber is supposed to work just like the Stamp Shammy and I wanted to try it, so I got a jar that has a hinged lid and I put a very small amount of my stamp cleanser in the bottom of the jar, and put the Rub It Scrub it inside as well as my Absorber piece.
You need to leave an opening in your storage system so that it doesn’t get moldy.

MISTI or other Stamp Positioning Tools:
Hand Sanitizer is the greatest cleaner

Another cold damp day here, with temperatures under 60 degrees.  I thought this was supposed to be the beginning of summer, but I guess I was mistaken.  Days like this, I like to bake something sugary, so I made Rich a batch of oatmeal cherry cookies.  Just like oatmeal raisin, but instead of raisins, well, you get the idea.

I need to ask Rich to put another video online, but his hip is still hurting from golfing on Friday, so I just don’t want to bother him.  He’s not sleeping well, and is in general, miserable.  Tomorrow he goes back for another treatment with needles, and I really hope they help.  I’m not sure how long it will take for him to feel a lot better, but I doubt that it will be any time in the near future.  At least that was what the therapist said.  We could be surprised though, and that would be a great thing.   I’ll give you an update tomorrow.