Bah! Humbug! Challenge 32 --- "Kiss"mas!

The ladies at Bah! Humbug! have a knack for creative challenges.  This week it is all about "Kiss"mas and, honestly, what is Christmas without KISSES?  There's mommy kissing Santa Claus, kissing under the mistletoe, and, yes, kissing dear old Aunt Gertrude!

My card is all about "Cooooool" kisses as Siku and Shiya by Mo Manning share an Eskimo kiss. 

I kept it all pretty simple, focusing mostly on the image. The beautiful paisley dp is by The Paper Studio, the rhinestone circles by Recollections at Michael's, and the bow made from ribbon in my stash. (This is the last of this roll of ribbon and I don't know what I will do without it!)

These cuties are colored with Copics.  The blues are B91, B93, B95 and B 99. The browns are E49, E71 and E77.  The fur on the blue parka is colored with Cool ("C") neutrals; the brown with Warm ("W") neutrals. And the image is cut with the Nesties circle die.

Inside is more of the paisley dp with blue card stock for a personal note. The rhinestone arc is the leftover from one on the front of the card.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to visit Bah! Humbug! to see more "Kiss"mas ideas.  Believe me, they are really coooooool --- and HOT!

More of Paula and Scott's Wedding........

........ HERE.  I have reopened my blog "The Oyster's Pearl" where I will be putting photos and stories of the wedding.

Endless Reorganizing

It seems I am constantly reorganizing my studio! One set up will work for awhile, then becomes hard to manage. Or I need a spot for something, but something else is already there.  A challenge I've had for awhile is keeping my rubber and clear stamps where I can easily see them and, thus, use them!  I do use digital images a lot, but I often find "touch and feel" stamps that I just have to have.  I set up an area just for stamping, but it became covered with new stamps that I left out so I wouldn't forget to use them.  Then my stamp area dwindled to a small patch barely large enough for an ink pad, piece of paper and the stamp!  As much as I would love to have those lovely narrow shelves to display -- and SEE -- the stamps I have, there just isn't that much wall space in my studio.  Well, not yet, but that's a plan for another day.

Take the stamp dilemna and add to it unruly ribbon bins and a solution began to emerge.  Hmmm......

This is the area in question and I have already begun the transition.  On the left is a pegboard full of ribbon, some in bins and some on hooks.  Below the ribbon (a better picture is below) is my stamping area.  On the right side of the picture above is a pegboard full of adhesives, stickers, embellishments, and decorative scissors.  Below that are two CD/DVD shelf units that I've been using for some of my clear stamps that are stored in CD jewel cases and other tools. 

The ribbons are sorted by color, but not convenient for finding specific widths or patterns.  The wire bins had to be lined with thin foam sheets to keep the spools from rolling out.

Here I have moved some of the ribbon to the CD/DVD shelves.  The cool thing about adjustable shelves is that there are lots holes drilled already.  To keep the spools from rolling off these shelves I have inserted narrow dowels into the open holes above the shelf.  This gives a railing about 1/2" above the shelf, just enough to act as a guard.  I have some sticky measuring tape to put on the edge of some of the shelves so I can measure at the shelf and not find myself with a stack of spools at my work space.

Now, here is the stamping area.  Believe me, there is a stamping pad and cleaning pad under all of this!  When the bins are empty of ribbon I will have my jewel cases of clear stamps in them.  You can see a few of them on the left behind the little wooden box.  The cabinet under all the stuff, is a Sears Craftsman that is one of my favorite organizers.  The top has a flat wooden work area.  It also has a built in electrical strip which is really convenient for the heat and glue guns.  The sides are also punched for pegboard hooks.  The five drawers vary in depth from quite shallow (perfect for tools like scissors and exacto knives) to deeper for larger items like spray cans .

This bin unit is from Ikea and perfect for segmented organizing.  I've been cleaning this out, too.  But for now my focus is on the boxes on top. These are full of wood mounted rubber stamps.  Even though the boxes are marked by brand or holiday or other categories, I usually don't bother getting them out because the top of the unit is 5 feet high and I am barely 5 foot 3, so I've often had them dumping on my head. Some of the wood mounted stamps might soon find themselves converted to cling, which will make them easier to store.  Other stamps might find themselves on Ebay. 

As you can see, I am far from finished with this project, but at least I have a plan that will work ---- until I get another bug to reorganize!  Thanks for stopping by.  Hopefully I've passed on some ideas.  Please leave a comment with your favorite storage and organizing ideas.

Bah! Humbug! Challenge--- White on White

Those of us who love Bah! Humbug! have  two more reasons this month to be excited! Along with Ladies Humbug, Ann and Max, we have guest designers Donna and Tracy for even more inspiration and awesomeness. 

I've followed Donna on her blog Popsicle Toes for a couple of years. She provides constant inspiration and lately I've dusted off my Cricut because she just makes it look so much fun!  This card is dedicated to Donna, the Guru of die cut layers. I call my project "White on White, Take 2".

The card really is white, well a shimmery pearl white, made from 80# report cover stock. I love this paper for its weight and rich feel.  All parts of the card are from the same paper. We are having a cloudy, rainy day so my natural light for photographing is a bit more dull than normal.

The die cuts are from the Damask Decor cart which has so many gorgeous designs.  This one is the snowflake.  Now, here is why I call this "White on White, Take 2".  Take 1 was an absolute disaster!  Let's just say that intricate dies cuts + Xyron adhesive + acetate = absolute disaster!  I like to make sure that the pieces are going to stick so I put the die cut through the Xyron.  Well, there is always sticky stuff that doesn't stay on the backing but I can usually clean up the residue with a soft eraser.  That does not work on acetate!  What a mess!  So, I cut out another piece and dotted it with the mini glue dots.  Ahh! Much better and the die cut isn't going to come off.

The shadow layer for the snowflake is attached to the card base with the acetate over it.  There is actually a third layer: a matching snowflake die cut in the center.  I didn't pop it up as much as I should have -- and I was NOT going to go for Take 3 --- so I turned up the corners a bit.  All came beautifully together with the pearls. 

Albeit this is white on white, I would not call it CAS!  But, truthfully, I can't wait to use more of the gorgeous damask pieces on this cart.  Thanks for taking a look and be sure to pop on over to Bah! Humbug! for more inspiration. 

Wedding Card For Paula and Scott

Yes, I do have a card to post today! It is the wedding card I made for Scott and Paula. It's quite different than my usual cards in that it doesn't have a stamped image nor are there a lot of layers.  This is pretty close to CAS for me.  Paula's colors were royal blue and antique gold which was very easy for me to work with as blue is my favorite color, too.  And the rhinestone swirl with the blue stones was my inspiration for this card.

The sentiment is computer generated. 

The inside of the card has a personal message as well as this lovely verse:

The Blessing of the Apaches

Now you will feel no rain

For each of you will be shelter to the other.

Now you will feel no cold

For each of you will be warmth to the other.

Now there is no more loneliness for you

For each of you will be companion to the other.

Now you are two bodies

But there is only one life before you.

Go now to your dwelling place

To enter into the days of your togetherness

And may your days be good and long upon the earth.

I found this in The Ultimate Guide to the Perfect Card, 2nd edition

It looks like the squelching heat of the past few weeks will begin to subside here in southern Missouri, with the likelihood of rain, too! I certainly hope so. I hope your week goes well and full of blessings!

Arch of Swords

Here it is one week since my son's wedding and I've posted only one photo! Shame on me! Actually, after getting back home on Saturday I was so tired I slept most of Sunday. Then on Monday I popped something in my lower back and couldn't move without assistance for two days. Sitting at the computer was out of the question. Since then my back is getting better, but still uncomfortable.  At least I finally loaded and edited the photos I did take last week.

Most of the photos I took were at the reception, leaving the wedding pictures to Rebeca Peters of Kansas City. She is a fantastic photographer and I can't wait to see all the wedding party and family photos. Since Scott and Paula are still on their honeymoon we have gotten only a sneak peek at Rebecca's work. But I did get some very nice shots of the Wedding Arch of Swords. This military ceremony, steeped in tradition is sure to bring tears, cheers, and a giggle or two. Scott's swordsmen are officers he has worked with during his career.  They also served as ushers for the families and friends attending the wedding.

Here are some of the stills of the ceremony:

This is at the third pair of swords, but at each of the first two the swords were lowered and the command called out "The price of passage is one kiss!" to which Scott and Paula shared a quick kiss.

At the third pair the same command was called out, but one quick kiss wasn't enough. The command "A REAL kiss!" was called out, to which Scott and Paula complied with a kiss more, um, interactive than the one pictured above!

If the swordsmen were supposed to remain stone-faced during this, they certainly didn't at this point!

The tradition of the Arch of Swords is to symbolize safe passage for the couple into their new life together.

But the best part of the ceremony was when the swordsman, in this case Captain Studeman on the left, gently whacked the bride on the behind with his sword and said "Welcome to the Navy, Mrs. Moseman!"  I didn't catch the actual sword-whacking, but love her expression as they passed through.  My brother took a video with his phone and is trying to figure out how to get it into the computer. I'm looking forward to the replays!

I'll have more photos of the reception over the next few days, but will probably put those on one of my other blogs.  I want to get back to making some cards and posting them here.  But, don't worry, I will let you know where to find more photos and stories as I get them posted.

Have a great weekend, everyone! Thanks for stopping by!

First Release of Paula and Scott's Wedding.....

I've been home less than an hour and still riding high from the wedding of my son and his beautiful bride.  This is the first release from the photographer.  I took precious few photos, but will have some to post, as well as stories.  Right now I am just soooo tired!!

This Is the Week We've Been Waiting For!

[This post is a little long but full of photos.]

 Before you all think I have fallen off the face of the earth --- again --- I have a really good excuse for being absent.  This is the BIG WEDDING WEEK!  My son Scott is marrying the love of his life, Paula, this Friday evening.  Mom and I are busy with last minute plans for the trip to Lawrence, Kansas, with all the food and decorations for the rehearsal dinner on Thursday. 

My mom is very crafty and artistic -- and she was kind enough to pass that gene on to her kids!  But she really out-did herself with the centerpiece for the dinner.  The theme is seashore and lighthouses and here is her creation.

The base is styrofoam that she painted with various colors and added sea shells, moss and greenery. She does beautiful floral arrangements so had all of this on hand. The lighthouses were picked up at a flea market. I am a lighthouse fanatic, as is my son, so this piece is really "wicked", as Ron Weasley would say!

I love the blue along the bottom and IRL it looks like crystals.  The piece will be set on blue clear wrap.

For party favors I didn't get quite as fancy. (Who could compete with that centerpiece, anyway?) But using little square boxes from the Bridal dept at Michael's I filled them with little bags of Jelly Bellies, Scott's request. The lighthouse die cuts are from the Cricut Wall Decor cartridge. 

On the tops of the boxes is a thank you message from the couple.

Paula will be keeping her bouquet as it will be specially made by her aunt.  So, in keeping with the latest trend of having a throwing bouquet she asked me to make one for her based on an idea she had seen the "The Knot" of one made with paper flowers. My plans were for more handmade paper flowers like I've seen in some fabulous blogs, but with 17 weddings in 3 weeks (photographing) I just simply got crunched for time.  However, in cleaning out my stacks of stash I found a tablet of die cut flowers ready to punch out and assemble! There are three large ones in the bouquet from that set and a few smaller one.  I filled in with silk roses and stems and lots of glitz, including a sparkly butterfly.  All is assembled on the styrofoam ball with plastic handle. The hardest part was the bow --- I just don't do well with those.

I sent some pics to Paula last night and she loves it! Whew!  The thing is quite heavy so I hope it doesn't clunk someone on the head .... and I hope it remains intact during its flight and ultimate catch. 

Now, for a sampling of Paula and Scott's engagement photos they had done last month.  I have to give a plug to Rebecca Peters Photography in Kansas City. She is tops in her field and will be doing the wedding as well. 

Yep, Scott's car! When he first gave Paula the keys I knew she was the one! He is like me, picky about who drives our 4-wheeled babies! BTW, the sky actually looked like that the evening of the photo shoot.  They put off doing the engagement photos because of the winter months, then every other opportunity they had it was raining. This was just after the rain.

I think this is Paula's favorite.

This is part of a series that Scott initiated.  He is not one to keep a straight face for very long so after too many "sober" shots he told Rebecca to keep shooting, then he started tickling Paula in the ribs.  This is my favorite picture because it is truly who they are.  I now use the same trick in my wedding photos after secretly asking the groom if his bride is ticklish.  I get some very funny results!

My heart is filled with joy for this wonderful couple!  This day is a long time coming, but definitely worth the wait.  It's easy to see they each have found their soulmate.

Thank you for letting me show off a preview of the week to come. I am so happy! There's just no other way to say it! You can bet I will be sharing more photos later from the wedding!

Can You Imagine Being Married for 70 Years?

Can you imagine being married for 70 years?  To the same person? My beloved Uncle Earl and Aunt Lorraine of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, will celebrate their 70th Anniversary on July 19.  That seems so amazing to me, but not when I think about the unconditional soul-mate love they have for each other, the deep and rich faith in Jesus Christ, and that all their lives they have given unselfishly to their family, friends, and church members.  I love these two wonderful people so deeply; they are my inspiration and role models.  Earl and Lorraine love to get my cards and it is not unusual to see them on display in their home.  Here is yet another one for them... for this special occasion that is nothing short of a miracle.

The image is Mo Manning's new "Kisses for My Sweet" which comes with a variety of images to hang over their heads, such as mistletoe, wedding bells and heart.  The image is colored with Copics on Wausau 110 lb paper which is available at Michael's. The pretty vintage roses dp is from the Paper Studio, the pearl swirls are Recollections, the butterfly is K & Co, and the leather flower is from Jolee's.

Aren't they just adorable?  Earl and Lorraine still hold hands and call each other "Babe"!

This is the inside of the card.

And here is the happy couple.  This photo was taken six years ago.  They really haven't changed much, though Lorraine's health is not good. She is 89 now and Earl is 90.  And they are self-sufficient in the same little house they have lived in for nearly 50 years!  Gotta love 'em!

Thank you for stopping by and letting me share this special story with you.  I hope your life is as richly blessed as these wonderful people!

Mo's DP2 Challenge --- Vintage With Distressing and Lace

Mo's challenge this week is Vintage with Distressing and Lace, one of my favorite themes for cards.  I'm slipping in under the wire, but I've been wanting to put this card together for quite some time. When I think of vintage I'm flooded of memories of my grandmother who loved flowers, crocheted beautiful doilies, could make a delicious dish out of leftovers, and whose pies were straight from Heaven! Grandma would have chuckled at what I did with this card.  I love all the things she did, but I don't cook much.  However, I did use fresh fruit and a rolling pin on this card.........

The image is Mo's "blueberry girl" which I colored over a month ago while visiting my friend Peggy.  I don't remember the Copics I used, but I was very happy with the result.  This card is on ivory Paper Trey cardstock which is so lovely and rich.  The embossed panel is a new Cuttlebug set called "Preserves" which coordinates with the Cricut "Preserves" cartridge (yet another one on my wish list!). The lace came from an antique store and the flowers from silk stems.  The distressed edges are rubbed with Versa Mark amethyst ink.

Here's a close up of this little cutie.  She reminds me of the time I went berry picking in my great aunt's berry patch.  We ate more berries than we kept and came home with more chiggers than berries!

Now, here's where the fresh fruit and rolling pin come in...... I always have blueberries in the house but some had gotten a little too squishy so I put them between two pieces of watercolor paper then wrapped with waxed paper to keep the kitchen from getting showered with juice.  I rolled my grandmother's own rolling pin over the papers and, after a few hours of drying, had some really fun blueberry paper.  It came as quite a surprise that the colors from the blueberries are very much like the colors I used on the image. Pure luck, trust me!  I have more paper to use.  I also have some fresh pineapple, lemons......and plenty of watercolor paper!  Grandma would be proud!

Thanks for stopping by today.  Gotta get this posted over at Mo's DP2 Challenge.  Hop on over there and see all the other wonderful projects! 

Bah! Humbug! Challenge --- Meeces, Mices!

Meeces, Mooses and Mices!  Oh my!  I think the ladies at Bah! Humbug! must have been cleaning the dungeons and encountered some of these cheese-crazy, cute critters!  They must have inspired the challenge this week which is all about mice! Well, I know that everything at Humbugger Hall is fun and creative and anything but scary.  Also, thanks to my stash of House Mouse stamps, I have some of these awwww-inspiring cuties.  Here is my card for this week's challenge:

I like to use non-traditional colors for holiday cards.  I actually started with the ribbon for inspiration.  When I first looked at it I thought it was burgundy and green, but under the Ott light I realized it is purple and green.  Not being much of a purple fan I took on the challenge with my trusty Copics.  The tan in the ribbon inspired the use of Kraft cardstock. I haven't placed a sentiment on the card yet but I think I will make a tag to slip under the bow at the top. 

Here is a close up of the image.  It doesn't show well but I used some Waterfall Stickles for the snow.  I usually take three shades to color an area for depth, but the House Mouse images have quite a bit a shading already printed so I used only two shades.  The purple is V06 and V09.  The green is G82 and G85. The fur on the caps is colored to look more tan than white and I used E81 for that. 

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you take time to hop over to Bah! Humbug! for inspiration and to play along. You won't regret it!

Eight Reasons I've Been AWOL

Once again I've been AWOL for awhile.  Some of you know that I also do photography as well as paper crafting, and for over a year I've photographed weddings at  The Hummingbird Inn, a local bed & breakfast that also specializes in small intimate weddings.  The grounds around the Inn are gorgeous and the view across the Ozarks hills north of Branson is breathtaking.  I love doing shoots there.  Well, last week I found myself doing eight weddings in five days, and all five days were record heat indexes!  I thought I'd show a sample of another side of my world. 

We have so many locations for outdoor weddings: The beautiful garden below, a gazebo, a large meadow overlooking the view, a barn complete with a "hitchin' post", a  large deck with hummingbirds feeding even during the ceremony.  During inclement weather we have a beautiful fireplace in a vintage parlor that many choose for the ceremony.  Every wedding is different and never dull! In this more casual atmosphere we have alot of fun.  The weddings are often just the bride and groom but we have had parties as large as 45, the average being about 15 guests.  They are informal or very formal; from the young first marriages to mature remarriages and everything inbetween.  We've had vow renewals and even couples marrying again after they were divorced -- those are really touching.  All are joyful and I can get so wrapped up in the celebration.

I have eight more weddings scheduled before the 23rd of this month.  Then comes the wedding I will get to see with both eyes and not through the lens of the camera --- my son's on the 29th!  With that so front of mind every one of these weddings at the Inn make me cry.  I guess I am just gearing up for the gusher I know I will have at Scott's wedding!

Thanks for indulging me a post without a single scrap of paper in it.  I hope your week is off to a great start!