Mer Babe

I am trying out my small set of pro markers. I actually like the way they color. But since I am so invested in Copics I can't possibly make a huge investment in these.  Again, I got them by using the 50% discount. So I have roughly 36 of them for less than $1.50 each. Not a bad small first investment.

So here is the image, I honestly can't remember where it is from. I think it is a Mayzy Art. "I should really keep better track of my images". I left my copics for at my other place this weekend so I am trying some different coloring techniques. Hopefully you like this. I am entering it in Wicked Wednesday's ATC challenge as well.  The theme is "The Blues".

P.S. I was wrong. It was from Kenny K. One of my very favorite designers. I love his faces.

Until Later

My fin...

It's been a minute since I have posted. I have been pretty busy with the move. However I have had a minute to create a bit, "stress relief" today. The theme at Wicked Wednesday ATC challenge is "The Blues". I created 3 cards for this challenge. The first one is colored with my new set of PrismaColor Pencils.  I just recently bought a set of 132.  The lady that sponsors that blog colors with these and I love her work. Jo Ann's had a 50% off coupon so I bought some. I have to say, I am pretty bad at coloring with pencils. But I tried something I red on line about using baby oil to blend. It definitely makes it better. I just need to go out and get some blending stumps today. They tell me they are pretty cheap.
In any case, this image is from one of my favorite artists Jade Dragonne. I just love her work. So I am certain you will see much more from her style.  The saying was from me. I decorated it with some flowers I have in my stash bought on sale at Hobby Lobby. They are actually perfect for ATC's. Small, glitter and bling. Roughly 90 pieces per package. I popped up the image.

I am also going to enter this in the ATC's with attitude challenge for this fortnight.  They have the "anything goes" theme.

I hope you like her. I need to get a couple more posts done and then it is off to pack the house. Oh in case I didn't say it, I finally got my air conditioner fixed. I had to pay for it myself but I can't stand my home warranty company so I cancelled them and took the less than stellar cash out.

Until later.

Sassy

So, I absolutely love KennyK. I mean his digi designs are definitely more in my style. So I decided to come up with this ATC using one of his works of art. This was colored with my Copics of course. The little flowers are from Michael's recollections.  I saw them and thought "wow so many and so small, those would be great for ATC's". So, 10 flower jars later, and my collection is complete.  (Needless to say, I will NEVER use all of these.

I am entering this in the Wicked Wednesday ATC Blog challenge. The theme for this week is Sugar and Spice. I have another entry for this one as well to complete the Sugar part. But this girl is definitely Spice.

I am also entering this in ATC's with Attitude Blog challenge. The theme is "anything goes" so I am certain this will work.

So, for my drama this week. On Wednesday my cat sitter comes in and find that my house if over 90 degrees and my cat is pretty much trying to get out of the house. While I just had my AC unit totally redone last year, due to this intense heat I guess I am back to the same issue.  They came in and fixed it on Thursday. I get home on Friday night and the house is still over 90 degrees. (clearly they didn't fix it.) So not only did I sleep in a hot house but I was so worried about my cat I got absolutely no sleep. It was about 89 downstairs. I found every fan I owned and put it on.

This morning I woke up early and hit Sam's club. $400 later I have a room unit. So the cat and I were stranded in one room for 5 hours. But at least we were not sweating our buts off. They came back. It took them another "10 minutes" to fix the problem this time. We will see if this works. I can already tell it's a little cooler in here but I be damned if I am taking that portable AC unit back. It really works. It managed to cool my big room down to 80 which was darn near livable.

Until Later,
A Hot and tired SS

Dracula Divine

I'm sitting at home thinking how much I don't want to leave this place and feeling sorry for myself. I have so got to get a grip. I decided to start watching "Lost" all 6 seasons. It's on Netflix. My son absoutely loved it and so now I am giving it a shot. But with over 20 episodes per season this will be a long watch session.

So, it's a Sunday and I wanted to make sure I got in a post with my creation for Wicked Wednesday's ATC Challenge Blog. I created my favorite monster of all time. From my little girl days I have always had a fascination with vampires "Dracula" in particular. I remember reading Salem's lot and being scared out of my mind. So here is my rendition of the scary Monster's theme. I colored him with Prismacolors and Copic markers. Popped him up a bit on a premade background I already had which seemed perfect.  Added some "blood" red bling to go with the general theme and "wha-la" here you have it.  I was going to enter him into the Smudgy Antics Blog challenge but it looks like I was a day too late. The theme there is Creatures of the Night. And of course Dracula is a prime example of that. I hope you enjoy it as much I did making it.

Until Later
Shaunda

Why am I up?

I just could not help but post about the fact that it is 4:17 am on  Sunday morning and I am still up. Am I crazy?  {That was a rhetorical question}.  As I mentioned before I have a pretty insane job. But it is what allows me the money to feed my insane crafting habit. As I sit here and look around all of the craft supplies I have to pack up. (God forbid I should throw something away). I think to myself "What a wonderful world" that I live in where we are allowed to de-stress by using our hands in a creative way.
On another note, I just found out that the new laptop I have has a light on it. I thought I was crazy at first, trying to type in the dark but then I found this. It's just perfect to lightly illuminate the keyboard. So, anyway, I don't have any ATC's or coloring images to share but I want to get out the fact that I must be absolutely crazy for still being up. And now I am off to sleep.

Until Later
SS

Little Couple

Hello Blogger Friends,

It has been a really rough week. I had a new launch at work. I have a pretty stressful day job (oops!! career) but it worked out. Needless to say I am still employed.  : )  Needless to say that after this week I feel the need to "de-stress".  And how do we crafty people do this? Well, we MAKE something of course.

So I spent the day cleaning out my garage "again" in preparation for the move but I also took a little time out to just relax and practice my coloring. I also took the time to combine my Copic markers with the Prismacolor markers I bought over 2 years ago. I figure if I have them I might as well use them. So I have roughly 170 markers total.  Not a bad days work.  I located them during my cleaning expedition. So it wasn't all work and no play.

Now let's get to the actual post. This is a creations for Wicked Wednesday ATC blog. As most people know, I am an instant gratification person so I made this cute, in my opinion, for this weeks challenge. The theme is Summer wedding. So I didn't have any rubber stamps that I thought made the cut but I remember this cute digi stamp I got from The Greeting Farm.  I can't remember what it is called. I colored it with Copics and Prismacolor Markers, and popped the image.  I also used some glossy dimensions on her skirt and his shirt which I both left in white to help keep with the wedding theme. I used some red mesh ribbon I had for the background and added glitter flowers I found at Hobby Lobby. "I need to use them because I got them on sale and I think I overbought". (HA-HA understatement of the year.

I am also entering this on the ATC's with Attitude Blog.  I gotta say, I am really enjoying posting my different projects. While I find that in my daily life I don't have a lot of time to craft any longer I appreciate that there are places that I can find to display my work. So thanks to all of the great teams that work on these Blogs and support us "regular ole' crafters". : )

So, I hope you like the ATC and look forward to seeing you again in the world of bloggers.

Until Later,
SS

First Blog Link

Yes, I did it again. I went an entire month without blogging. All I can say is that my day job has definitely gotten the better of my free time allotment.  So I have been trying to pack up my house without success. Needless to say I am moving. Yes, you read it correctly. To the great state of Oklahoma. I am trying to get motivated enough to start emptying my house so that I can pack up. I just never realized how much "junk" I have. I managed to get through parts of my room by donating a couple bags of clothes and filling a large garbage bag. Today is trash day so I will try to get through at least 2 more before the truck comes. 

Now, onto the reason for the blog.  I am going to link this with Wicked Wednesday ATC challenge blog. The name of the card is "Who needs a beach?".  When I looked at my stamps and digi images I honestly could not find any that would go with the theme this week. So I thought about what I do on a beach.  I sip cocktails and read. That is exactly what this little girl is doing. The image is from "Little Miss Muffet Stamps" and I colored her with copics.  The background in case you could not tell is a mixture of sea shells. I thought it was appropriate. Not to mention JoAnn's had a sale on crafting paper. "Like I needed another piece of paper". I hope you like my first link.


I also entered this in the Simon Says Stamp challenge for this week. It appears it is just my lucky week because they said it should be tags or ATC's. Lucky for me I enjoy coloring and doing small projects. They travel well and my Copics are tremendous stress relievers. : )

Until next time.
Shaunda D

Ingrid Dijkers: A few new journal pages

I just gotta say. I have fallen in love with Ingrid Dijkers Art journals. There is a link to one of her posts that I enjoy the most. Her use of color and lettering is absolutely gorgeous. Please make sure you pop over and see her style.Ingrid Dijkers: A few new journal pages:

Inky-Painty

I have definitely been a little more on the creative side lately. I went to a spontaneous retreat and met some great ladies there. Of course there is always just one in the bunch that is rude and doesn't even know it. (ha-ha) story of my life.  Before I could even walk in the door to introduce myself she yelled at me to shut the door. As of course before I knew it, I asked her if she could wait until I got "through" the door.  Women!!!! Love us but sometimes I could leave us.

I did an entire journal for Gone with the Wind. I really did love it and hated to give it up. I took a couple of pictures of the layout so I could remember what I did. I actually did all of the pages with Dyan Reaveley's dylusions, used file folders and cream card stock. "I had some laying around".  I then proceeded to print about 5 pages of pictures and trivia and just pasted everything the book. I do believe it has a pretty good flow.
I still haven't watched one episode of Game of Thrones,  I have to make sure I get to that this week. I have to let my colleague know if it is something that is my cup of tea.

Hopeless at Pictures

Well, I am of course continuing to art journal. I did bring my suplies on the trip but haven't been able to do one page, or even finish a couple of the pages I had started.  And today I woke up pretty out there for concentration, it is definitely showing. But I had an old page I did a couple of weeks ago I realized that I haven't shared. The problem is that the picture of it didn't come out nearly as well as the actual page. I definitely need to look at the lighting when I am taking the pictures. I might even want to start taking them outside when there is sunshine.  It's not like I am using a high powered camera to do this. ha-ha.
This journal is one the inexpensive Master's Touch Sketch books from Hobby Lobby.  It is the 4x6 size which is much easier to carrier around when I am traveling. I have been trying to get that one kit together when I am traveling that will make it easier for me to actually get something done. Or maybe I just focus on backgrounds. Which I am getting a lot better at.  I certainly hope you like and if you are not already doing so, getting around to letting go in your own art journals.

Long time, no blog

I'm so sorry, it's been almost a month since I last blogged and that is far too long.  I have been creating lately just not taking pics to share and for that I apologize. I am sharing my small art journal size with you. I want to take some actual page pictures as well. I found this journal at Hobby Lobby. I love these. They are 4x6 and are perfect for traveling. I can't really put a lot of big pictures inside but it helps me to create when based on my travel schedule I otherwise would not have.  I have basically used watercolors in this journal. It seems like the paper holds up a little better. I just have to remember to let them dry completely before using my Pitt pens on them. Occasionally I have been known to tear the page.

I found a new project. I have fallen in love with Julie Nutting's collage couture. So much that I went out yesterday and purchased her book for full price. Yep, you read it correctly. FULL PRICE. Something I almost never do. I am so excited to create something. It will be at least a couple of weeks before I can with my on the go schedule.  Wedding this weekend, travel the next and hopefully the weekend after that I can sit down with some paint and continue to create. Being on the road make that a little limiting but I am getting better at figuring out how to express myself. It keeps me sane. (OK maybe just not "insane"). LOL

Mini Vacations

Although I am back in the land of reality I just could not help myself from continuing to blog about the "fun times" in my life.  So here is my picture in the caves.  It was pretty cool. I could not believe the work that had been done. Now it was not as picturesque as Rock City but it definitely "rocked" (no pun intended).  You will be happy to know that I started my, let's get health lifestyle. Notice how I called it my "lifestyle". I got up this morning and worked out for half hour.  I am so proud of myself. One day at a time Sweet Jesus.  I have a wedding to go to in a month and I don't want to be this big for it. So, sorry I don't have any crafting updates for you. I did bring my supplies with me and I plan on getting inky/painty but much later.

Until later, off to a meeting.

Love Letter

So, I signed up for a couple of online art lettering classes. Unfortunately I have not had a lot of time to really get them started but here is the cover for one. I think it came out alright. But then I saw some journaling where the person just had 3 or 4 sets of alphabet stamps and used them that way. She then doodled around them to add depth. I am probably much more likely to do that in my journaling. But I will finish the classes, considering I paid $35 each for them. Not to mention the I like the lady that is teaching them.

I made it back to OKC today. I gotta tell you. Today was not great. My computer is BROKEN. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. It was on it's last leg but it is really gone now. I mean just over. I need to back it up before it spits out a black cloud of smoke. It won't keep more than 45 minute charge on the battery. Several of the programs I have don't open up. I just need to hurry up and order the new computer because this is just getting OLD.

Art Journal Pages

So, I was recently in a swap where we created art journal pages to swap. Now these are a little smaller than my normal art types but I still think they turned out alright. I used the simple craft acrylics for these. I also tried to boarder the pages. Now that I have critiqued myself I don't believe that I used enough contract writing to make it "pop". Hopefully my partner enjoys the pages I created. I did them on watercolor paper. I hope to try to a few more of these before I say bye bye to art journaling. I just really don't think that 5x7 is enough space to create everything that I have to say.

Dyan Reavely is a phenomenal artist. I finally found her blog and took a look at all of the different things she was doing and I definitely want my journal pages to be more on the live of what she does. Creating beautiful backgrounds and then putting art on top of it. I can't wait to try some of her new products by Ranger.

VIntage ATC's

So, as you all know from some of my other blogger entries that I absolutely love ATC's. But what I also love are the older "vintage" pictures of movie stars to add to them. I have loved things like Gone with the Wind, Imitation of Life, Casablanca forever. So this is a picture of an image I captured off the web and decided to make into some decent art. The only thing I wish I had done now was color her.

Speaking of color. I got my new set of Copic markers today. I am so excited. 21 more markers to add to my collection. I ordered them on Friday and they arrived on Monday. Too cool, and free shipping as well. What more could a girl ask for?

What am I reading?

I saw this idea as posts on another person's blog. So I can't take credit for it but I think it would be great to update my blog at least once a week with what I am reading. So, I am on Book 3 of The Hunger Games, The Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins. Now this is a good book. Actually all of them are great. I had to rush to read number one before the movie came out. And that was all she wrote ladies and gentlemen. I was hooked from there. My goal is to read 25 books this year. With my hectic schedule that will be hard but I know I can do it. I love to read, it's not a chore but I also love to do other things that take away from reading time. So I just might have to prioritize certain aspects of my life.

To say that Ms. Collins is on the same level of JK Rowlings is pretty close. I didn't think anyone could ever get kids to read again but Harry Potter inspired a little bit of hope in us all. I think that is the same thing we see here with Katniss, the main character of the series. It's just absolutely riveting with each page turn.

Funky Friday

So each time I go through the parking garage I see this wonderful tribute to economic gas mileage. But really, a pink moped? I mean what grown person actually drives one of these things. It's like the car broke down and they had to borrow their 12 year old daughter's only way to school. Is it cool looking? yes. Is it kind of corny looking? absolutely yes. I'll give the person props for being brave enough to actually park this in a spot that says "ooh, look what I need to spray paint black or silver?"

It's Friday as you can see and I am ready to head back to great state of Texas. I have a wake to attend tonight. A good friend's mom passed away this week. She had been struggling with cancer for a few years but it was time to say goodbye. It is such a debilitating disease. No one deserves to suffer in that manner.

I did a little crocheting last night but didn't hit the art journal. This weekend is Fiber Fest so I know what trouble I will get into and unfortunately it involves, lots and lots of YARN. I tell you, I don't need a 12 step program I just need to have all of my credit cards locked away.

Silky Seraphina

I wanted to do a post about crochet since I will be hitting the DFW Fiber Fest this weekend for a little retail therapy. What you see is the pattern Seraphina done with Berroco Boho colors. I love this shawl. I am such an avid crocheter that I wanted to created something with color and make it practical as well. Since I live in Texas I can't really have heavy crocheted items (well not if I plan to get any use out of them) so I go for either cotton or things that are crocheted and have plenty of loops or open space to allow for the body to breathe.

I did work on the Art journal last night. What I realize is that mine is more just basic backgrounds and then a lot of actual journaling. I know that is not exactly what I like when I see pictures but it is what I can seem to commit to now. I did see some awesome stuff that has stamped acrylic letters and I think I might go with trying to do a little something like that in the future. I like pictures and words but I really love painting. (It's gotta be a denied passion when I was little that is now just itching to get out.

It's morning and I need to get back to work but I hope you like the design. Many more to come after this weekend. I really need to use up some of this yarn.

The Buffalo

I've been spending a lot of time in Oklahoma City, We current Texans call it "North of the Red River". So for any of you that have spent any time at all in Oklahoma City you know that around downtown you see tons of "decorated" buffalo. In fact, I recently went to a OKC Thunder game (NBA) and the mascot is a buffalo. I had no clue what it was, had to ask a policeman. I now find them to be part of the environment. So the picture was taken out west but I have found the detail of the decorations to be just awesome and since I didn't have any of my own art to share with you I wanted to let you know I am still alive, and spending some of my time thinking about buffaloes. I didn't check to see if this one had a name but if I were to name him I would call him "Flag Buff". I guess I just think that his triangle decorations remind me of pennants or flags of some source.

One sentence a day

So today I hung out for a while just doing nothing. I went to see The Hunger Games. While I thought the movie was decent the books are soooo much better. Needless to say I would still probably go see the sequel. I also found some journals, I am addicted to journaling. But one thing that these do is one sentence a day. I am certain they do a few but it's so minute that one doesn't feel pressured if they can't write for an hour a day. So websites even call it "the happiness project". I have always found it therapeutic to share your feelings in the written word. But sometimes I get so distracted. So, here goes, the one sentence a day project begins.

Bones got stuck in the garage today. I'm not quite sure how that happened but considering that it was a little warm today he might start listening to me when I tell him to stay in the house. Now before you think that I am a bad mother, for those of you that don't know. bones is my cat. I adopted him, code for he staked out my house, almost a year ago. Still tying to figure out why he picked me. But oh we'll. Enough for now. I have to get some swaps out and get ready to go to the doctor in the morning.

Airplane Drama

Ok, as you guessed it, I am back in the land of bloggin'. while I don't have any work to post I definitely want to tell you about my story today.

As I am boarding the plane to Toronto my name is called, along with a few others. So, I think "ooh, am I lucky enough to get upgraded". But then I had to remind myself which airline this was. So as I brought myself back to reality and went up to the gate agent, the agent on the left looked at me and then the agent on the right and said to me. "she is going to have to explain this to you". Immediately I think, "uh oh, this can't be good". So the agent proceeds to explain to me how the plane is really light and they have to move all 30 coach passengers to "the back of the bus" so to speak. As she give me my ticket and I look at her with this face "maybe I should just take the next flight". She offers to give me my own row. So I say, you know what I can do that. I need a nap anyway.

However, we really could have used a few extra bodies on that plane this morning. The winds were so high in DFw and in Toronto I didn't think we were going to make it. Especially on the desent. We kept dropping like this was a roller coaster. Now, not that I have an issue with heights, but heights and going 300 miles per hour is not necessarily a good thing in my book.

But as you can see I am say and sound now in my little hotel room (scratch that, I was upgraded to a jacuzzi suite). But luckily I didn't go to a Canadian jail for almost snapping on the cab driver that tried to rip me off. I mean, really, $39CSD for 5 miles. That is even bad for Tokyo.

Have a great day.