02.23.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 3:28 am by PaperDesigns
The blog challenge question asked what are my ‘scrapping’ plans for today – well, I think of card making as “scrapping” because I use all of my supplies from scrapbooking – but today I’m teaching a class where we will be making these 10 cards, plus 2 Easter cards – in 2 hours! So I spent yesterday and today cutting up all of the little pieces necessary for each participant, and my daughter helped me make sure that the right number of brads and Primas went into every zip lock baggie. Now, knowing that I did everything I could think of to prepare – I still feel sure I’ll get there to find I’ve forgotten something! I hope not, I’ve looked over this picture 30 times, and I think I have all the pieces cut and ready!
Here’s hoping you have a wonderful and productive day!
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02.19.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 1:57 am by PaperDesigns
I loved making this card. It’s hard to tell from the picture, but the leaves on the flower are actually embossed, as is the Happy Birthday sentiment. I also added a little glitter to the flower for some sparkle.
I went to Scrapbowl ’08 and had a great time. The people on both sides of me were wonderful, and I got so much done! I took a card class by Margie Aslett, and I’ll be posting those “Baker’s Dozen” cards here – one for each post, with a paragraph about what I learned from the class – so a series of 13 posts! I just have to finish getting unpacked from the trip and take photos of the cards!
The blog challenge asks what is my dream vacation and whom would I take:
My husband and I have been planning a trip to Scotland for 20 years now. We said we’d go for our 20th Anniversary, and that was last year, and building the downstairs postponed our trip. Our dream is to pack up our kids and fly over, rent a car, drive on the wrong side of the road (LOL) and just traipse around visiting the small towns, pubs, and inns. I would take a million pictures, the kids would be sick of posing for a million pictures, and no one is brave enough to try hagis. But it remains my dream vacation, until we go, and then I’ll start dreaming of hiking with my friend (who needs a break from her life) in Tuscany!
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02.15.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 2:55 pm by PaperDesigns
The blog challenge for the day asks: Unfulfilled Dreams? Why?
I guess I always believed what my mother said about those things – sometimes we just find better dreams along the way. And that is what I did. I have several ‘unfilfulled’ dreams from my youth – but with the wisdom of the years, I realize that I don’t want any of those things that I wanted before – especially not at the cost of any of the things I currently have going. I think, for me, it will be just fine, to continue on the path I’m moving on, let my old dreams sleep, and begin dreaming anew of things that fit my life as I’ve created it.
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02.13.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 9:33 pm by PaperDesigns
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I love alcohol inks – but you can create a mottled background (before you stamp over it) with almost any kind of ink. It’s just that alcohol inks dry very quickly, and on glossy cardstock – they show up exceptionally well. They also take the top ink (whatever you use) well, too. I like to use a dye based ink on top, but you can use pigment ink – the alcohol inks won’t “rewet” after they are dry, so whatever ink you use on top won’t smudge the bottom colors.
The blog challenge for the day asks where do I see myself in one year. You know, after all the years of moving around with the military – God Willing – I’d like to see myself right where I am today. I have a friend going through BIG drama, and I realize that “uneventful” is a good thing! If next year were to be as wonderful and as ‘uneventful’ as this one – I’d be very happy. Not a very exciting or sexy answer, I realize, but I don’t have a problem with the ‘rut’ I’m in – I spent many years carving out that rut deliberately and I’d be the last one to be ungrateful for it now!
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02.11.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 11:57 am by PaperDesigns
There was a time in my life back when I was single, and studying at the University of Salzburg, that I would just hop a train and go to other cities with my friends. My friends didn’t all speak English, they didn’t all speak Italian, and German was a second language to many of us – and yet communication was never a problem. We’d pick a city, and we’d all go.
The blog question asks what time would I Iike to go back to and experience again. Maybe because it was just Carnevale, and I’ve promised myself I would go back to Venice during Carnevale someday, maybe because my daughter and I were just looking at pictures of Venice – I don’t know, the first thing that came to mind when I read the question is: I wouldn’t go back to being single for anything in the world, I wouldn’t want to give up my children for anything in the world. But I would like to go back to experience Venice again, and this time share it with my children. This time I’d take a million photos (and preserve them better), this time I’d get to experience it through their eyes. That would be fun!
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02.08.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 6:48 pm by PaperDesigns
A dear friend of mine came over a little while ago, and I finally got to playing with alcohol inks. I do love them – they’re messy, and you have to have some room to work in, and the patience to mix and match the colors. But, when I had all the pieces done – I really liked how they came out. Then I looked at my created backgrounds and figured out which stamps I wanted to use to stamp on top. After that, it was just a matter of matching up the papers to the artwork to create the cards. It was a lot of fun. But it really has me thinking….. what if I choose the paper first and then deliberately create the right color backgrounds and stamped ink to match that? That should be my next venture!
I’ve started a running dialogue of Tips and Techniques for cardmaking on my other blog. I hope to keep it going, and have it ready to print out and use as a reference. It’s been really fun working on it.
The blog challenge asks what I am looking forward to doing with my family when the weather improves. Spring, for us, means gardening! I love to get out there and plant the seeds, and then a little while later I’ll plant the veggies from starter plants that take too long to grow from seeds (tomatoes, for example). My daughter and I sat down and landscaped out a whole Japanese Style Garden on paper – with all of the plantings, rock gardens, and, of course, a huge stream with a Koi Fish pond. Well, come Spring – we’re going to get started building it! With all of the different types of trees and plants, it may take a little while to grow in, but just having it as our project that we do together will be worth all of the time, energy, and money! I really should take a lot of pictures and scrapbook the whole project from start to finish. She’s 11 now – can you imagine if she were to ask to have her wedding there someday? Oh my, what a thought!
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02.07.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 1:05 pm by PaperDesigns
I love playing with ink! My manicurist may not like it (LOL) but I almost always have some color of ink on my fingers at all times! It’s so bad, that I’ve had to designate specific clothing that I’m allowed to wear to go “play” in my craftroom. I just can’t keep all of the ink on the paper – it inevitably gets all over me. But I just think that means I had fun! Those butterflies on the tag were wet embossed on and sealed with clear embossing, and then the pigment pink ink was applied over, and the excess on the butterflies just wipes off – leaving only paper pink! Love that technique!
So here’s the TAG Challenge from Aimeslee:
1. You must post the rules before you give your answers.
2. You must list one fact about yourself for each letter of your middle name. Each fact must begin with that letter.
3. If you don’t have a middle name, just use your maiden name.
4. After you’ve been tagged, you need to up-date your blog with your middle name and answers.
5. At the end of your post, you need to tag one person for each letter of your middle name. (Be sure to leave them a comment telling them they’ve been tagged and need to read your blog for details).
I was named after my aunt, and my middle name is Gwen:
G – German language student, actually became fluent, and lived over there for 7 years. My husband is fluent as well.
W – Was in the Army, so when people tell my kids that their mother wears Army boots, they say “yes, and she still has them!”
E – Entering a new phase of my life. I know the best years are those I had with my children when they were young, and I still get to enjoy a few more years as “mommy” to our daughter, but I see that those days are slowly changing, and I’ll be an empty nester in a little while. I try not to think about it, or else I’ll be catatonic with dispair, but the truth is in front of me. See, I’m crying now just thinking of it.
N – Nothing worthwhile is ever easy – that’s a motto I live by, and I’m willing to work to get/maintain what I want in my life.
Okay, Now let’s see if I tag:
Lida
Heather
Toni
Julie (milkcan)
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02.05.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 11:21 pm by PaperDesigns
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The background paper for the gold swirly stamp was first stamped with alcohol inks, and allowed to dry. By coordinating the alcohol ink with the patterned paper – it makes it easier to make the whole card go together. I’m just getting back into alcohol inks, and I’m really liking all of the options!
I’ve been away for a little while. Paper Designs By Barbara got picked up for a huge contract, and I’m now full-time +. I love it, I’m very happy, and tomorrow will definitely be different!
The blog challenge asks how I will make tomorrow different. The answer for me today is quite simple. I will work. I will work to my best abilities to help a company grow. I used to work, I used to earn real money, but then it was obvious that my son needed me to stay home, so I did. I’d never make a different choice, I could never regret my choice. But he is about to graduate at the top of his senior class, and he doesn’t need me the same anymore. And for the past two years I’ve been trying to build a little business. I didn’t know which direction it would take, and I wasn’t even ever sure how to build it. I’ve had some great help, and now one of those people who was helping me just bought out all of my contracting hours, and I couldn’t be happier. I’ll have to do my posting at night, though! But when I wake up, and have something this big to do – it is definitely different than it has been the past 15 years.
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