THE WEDNESDAY EVENING POST FOR JUNE 30, 2011

Hey All!!!

Happy Wednesday and welcome to another edition of my blog.  I'm nervous about this because I am showing my first SEWING projects!!!  I have been practicing so much, and I'm learning a lot.  However, the stitching isn't absolutely perfect but it is getting close.  I've got a ton to share with you in this post, so let's get to it!

First, as promised, it is time for MY BLOG CANDY GIVE-AWAY!!!!  Since I'm all excited about my new sewing machine and all the possibilities it has added to my paper crafting, I thought I would give away something that is related.  Drum roll please. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

It is a We Are Memory Keepers Sew Easy prize package!!!!  The retail value of this prize is $50.00.  As you can see from the photo, here is what you'll get:

• (1) Sew Easy Mat
• (1) Sew Easy Tool with a straight stitch head and handle that holds a needle
• (2) Additional Sew Easy stitch heads with various stitch patterns
• (8) Sew Easy spools of colored floss for a total of 24 different colors

How's that??  I had bought all of this at various times thinking that I would not make the plunge and get a sewing machine.  But once I got my machine I didn't need this system any more so I thought it would make the perfect blog candy.  So, how do you win????  You know me, I don't make you jump through hoops to get it.  All you have to do is leave a comment on this post to be entered.  It would be nice if you followed me, but it is certainly not required.  I will use Random.org to select the winning comment at Noon, July 6TH, and will post the winner's name on the 6TH's Wednesday Evening Post.  I wish all of you good luck!

OK, on with the projects I would like to share.  Here is my first SEWN card!!!!:

See the stitching???  My first zig-zag stitched card!!!  I thought this House Mouse image would be perfect for it.  I paper pieced the little mouse doll with the same background paper.  The round sentiment was created in Word on my computer.  I, of course, colored the image with my cheap colored pencils and oms.  Here is a close up of the stitches. . .

I'm honestly shocked that the stitches measured perfectly to each corner on all corners.  Talk about beginner's luck!  LOL  I'm learning so much about the machine. . .for example, who knew your bobbin thread color doesn't have to match your spool thread color?????  I bought a bunch of bobbins thinking that I would have to have one for each color I used. . .LOL  Such a newbie!!!

OK, my second project:

This photo isn't the best, but it was the best I could do. . .This is a bookmark that I made for a neighbor who loaned me a great book (Merle's Door - about a man and his life with a very special Golden Retriever - made me cry several times!!!).  I've finished it, and wanted to return it with this handmade bookmark.  The background paper is all the dark black print.  It was the glare on the paper that makes the bottom part look dull.  I looked up "book quotes" on Google and picked this one and generated it on my computer.  I cut the top of the bookmark with a Nesties set by just doing the top.  Added the brads, eyelet for the ribbon, and then stitched around the two sides and bottom.  Don't look too close. . .I still need practice with my straight stitch!  But it wasn't bad.  The bookmark itself is very sturdy because I stitched 3 layers of card stock together so that it wasn't flimsy.

OK, last card is not a sewn card, but it is an experiment. . . 

Know what this is????  It is a piece of paper thin tree bark from a River Birch tree.  Here is the tree. . .

When I picked this piece up off of the ground, I couldn't get over how much like paper it was.  Then of course the idea came to mind . . . hmmmmmm paper. . . .

I know it is a simple looking card, but it is kind of unique.  As you can see, I stamped right on the paper thin bark.  This image is the large tree from my friend Mark's stamps at Deadbeat Designs.  I used distress inks (rusty hinge, mustard seed, and walnut stain).  Once I was finished stamping on the bark, I tore around the edges to get a rustic kind of feel.  I used glossy accents to glue it down to the card stock.  To dress it up a bit, I used a wonderful little trinket that my good buddy America sent me and some natural hemp cord for more natural accents.  This will make a great Fall note card.  Kind of fun, huh?  Once I had it done, I wished I had used my wood grain embossing folder for the dark brown mat.  That would have made it look better I think, oh well. . .Just goes to show that if you look at things differently, you can come up with some really unique stuff!

I also wanted to share a couple of other things.  Here is the new place in my craft room for my sewing machine:

I know. . .don't laugh at the two chairs on either side. . .I like my barrel chairs (they were in my office when I was a manager and when they closed our division, they let us keep some of the furniture).  I just don't have any where else to put them and they have always been up there.  Next week, I'll show a pic of the full room so you can see the configuration.  But I think this little table complete with large drawer is perfect for the machine!  I got it from my Mom. She is moving in with my sister this week until my sister's house sells, then they are going to buy a house together.  So Mom's getting rid of some of her stuff.

Finally, a special Pic of the Week:

This is my beautiful oldest boy, Shotsy.  He celebrated is 10TH birthday on June 24TH.  He looks a little blurry because I used the "low light" setting on my camera and you have to be really still.  It turned out cute anyway.  That is an Oreo Ice Cream Cake.  Every year, we have always gotten the boys an ice cream cake to celebrate their birthdays.  Of course, they just get a small slice and we get to eat it as well.  He is such a good boy.  He posed with that cake in front of him for 3 or 4 shots and posed for each one.  Never once did he try to eat the cake.  He really knows the rules and loves to pose for pictures.  He is truly the sweetest dog and such a love of my life.  This was taken with him at the coffee table in our living room.

OK, I've taken way more time of yours than I deserve.  I hope you enter for my blog candy!!!  I also hope you all have a wonderful, safe 4TH.  Thanks for stopping by, I love having you come and hang around with me.  Can't wait to see what you've been working on. . .See you on your blogs!

God Bless America!

Hugs,

Curt

"God, please help me be the person that my dogs think I am."

THE WEDNESDAY EVENING POST FOR FEBRUARY 16, 2011

Hey All!

First and foremost, thank you so much for all of your wonderful words of encouragement regarding my week from hell.  Each and every one of them meant the world to me.  I feel like I was being such a whiner when I posted that.  There are others out there far worse off than I am, and I need to remember that and be grateful for that. . .

OK, I'm going to start off with cards, then I will unveil the BLOG CANDY at the end of the post.  I not only hit 250, I'm now at 260 at the time of this post.  Welcome to all of my new followers, and I hope you find this blog worth your time.  On with the post. . .

First card is a card I'm entering into a challenge.  As many of you know, this is very rare, but the host of the challenge berated me miserably into playing along. . .   :P  Ted at Happily Ever Crafter has a challenge this month which is to create a Valentine for someone special in your life.  HOWEVER, the stipulation was that the sentiment on the front AND inside the card had to be done in your own handwriting!!!  I hate my handwriting as many of us do, so this was definitely a challenge for me.  Here is my card:

As if you can't tell, the "Always" is in my own handwriting. . .here is the inside sentiment:

OK Ted!!!  I played. . .are you happy now?!?!?  I have been seeing loads of these flag stamps and I really do like them a lot.  I also created  the background paper simply by stamping Versamark ink on plain red paper to create the watermark effect.  Moving on. . .

This is my attempt at the "Zindorfian" techniques.  I Love Michelle's work, and when I saw this tree stamp at Michael's on sale a couple of months ago, I knew I would use it for this type of card.  If you are not familiar with Michelle Zinidorf's beautiful work, you can visit her blog HERE.    


Next is this one:

This card used 4 different stamps.  I don't know why this card was stuck in my head, but I'm glad it is out.  I had pictured a bird on a limb with a little balloon in its beak to go with Mark's "Happy Bird Day!" from Deadbeat Designs.  It's still a little plain and I feel it needs something, but it is now out of my head!


Last but not least. . .

This is a box I came up with to hold this. . .

This is just a sheet of paper scored and then a pocket added inside to hold the large size chocolate bar.  I made one each for my Mom and Jay's Mom for Valentine's day.


OK, now for the blog candy.  Here is the picture followed by the list of what's in it:

It includes:


1 - Cuttlebug embossing/die cut set (includes 4 mini folders and mini dies)
1 - Package of Tim Holtz Tissue Tape
1 - Ranger Distress Ink Forrest Moss (my personal favorite color)
5 - Laurie Furnnel unmonted rubber stamps (winter themes)
2 - 1 Pound Scrap Packs
1 - Crafter's Workshop 6 X 6 Template
1 - Sweet November rubber stamp
1 - Sugar Nellie rubber stamp (Strawberry Tea)
1 - Elizabeth Bell rubber stamp (Sugar Plum Rainy Day Emma)
1 - Hero Arts Sparkle Clear Stamp set with gems
1 - Quickutz Embossing Folder - Plants
1 - Pink Poison rubber stamp
1 - Decorated 5 X 7 journal
1 - Package of 2 mini frames
A few unlisted surprises


How's that?  Here's what you have to do to win:


1.  Jump up and down on one foot and say booga booga
2.  Stick your index finger in your mouth and make a popping noise
3.  Twirl around over and over until you are dizzy
4.  Point at a perfect stranger and start laughing hysterically
5.  If you have more than three ears, you get a second entry
6.  If you have ever worn two different colored shoes out in public you need not enter


LOL, that's about what I feel other blogs put you through just to win some stuff.  Not here.  Just leave a comment on this post and I will use Random.Org to choose the winner.  You have until next Tuesday (February 22nd) at 11:59 PM EST  I will announce the winner on the next Wednesday Evening Post.  Simple enough?  Good luck to all of you!


PICTURE OF THE WEEK

CAN SPRING BE FAR AWAY???

Thanks very much for taking the time to visit me.  I know how busy you all are and I am humbled that you spend some of your valuable free time with me.


All my best to you guys!  You are the best!


Hugs,


Curt O'Brien


"God, please help me be the person that my dogs think I am."   

BIRTHDAY BLOG CANDY!!!!! WEDNESDAY EVENING POST FOR JUNE 16, 2010

Hey All!!!!  Happy Hump Day, and welcome to another edition of the Wednesday Evening Post.  As I explained to you all in last Wednesday's post, I'm celebrating a birthday on Saturday, and in honor of the occasion, I thought it would be fun to give YOU a chance to win some blog candy.  I also missed my 2 year Blogaversary in April, so I'm celebrating that too with this post and candy give-away.  The blog candy that I'm giving away is valued at about $85.00!!!!  So read through the blog and see what you can win and all the details regarding my birthday give-away!

I'd like to start the blog as I always do by sharing a couple of cards with you.  Besides June being the month of my birth, it is also known for the "month of weddings".  I have a friend that said she needed a wedding shower card so I made her one.  This is what I came up with:

I got this great dress and tux template from Lynn Pratt's blog HERE.  She is so talented and was so kind to share a downloadable template.  As with her card, mine is a gatefold too, but as you can see I altered mine to have a sentiment on the front and the card is square and bigger than hers.  I bought the wedding dress paper special for this card.  It is by The Paper Studio and you can see the beautiful scrolling which is done in silver.  The paper itself is sort of like felt, but it is a really gauzy see through material.  So see through that I mounted this paper onto white card stock so that it was really white.  It really does feel like cloth.  The front flaps are separate pieces and attached with dimensionals so they stand out from the dress.  I added a small ribbon to the waist and added a row of pearls for more detail.  For the tux, I simply added white pearls for the buttons that I colored black with a marker.  Here is the inside:

The sentiment was computer generated and the scrolly brackets on the inside were stamped with Versamark and then embossed with Silver Tinsel ep.  It sort of matches the dress scrolls.  This was a fun card to make and I plan on making more variations of it in the future.

June is also followed by July, and July 4th will be here before you know it.  So I thought I would get a jump on those cards.  Here is my first for the holiday:

Aren't they adorable???  This is a birthday present to myself.  LOL  This, of course, is a House Mouse stamp and it's called "Patriotic Wrap".  I made the red and white background paper by cutting strips of white card stock and glittery red card stock and piecing them together and securing them to another piece of card stock so it became one piece.  The glittery red really makes the card pop.  I colored the image with my colored pencils and oms as usual, but colored the background stars with a silver glitter pen and then added little lines coming from each star as if they are exploding behind them.  You can see them better if you click on the picture.  I added a bow and done.  The background paper is really dark navy blue IRL but in the picture it looks black.  The sentiment is inside on this one and simply says Happy 4th!

OK, now for the blog candy . . . . . .drum roll please. . . . . . . . . . .

Here is what's included:


Stampabilities Happy Hoppers Stamp (Buzzy Friends)
325 sheets of 6 X 6 papers! (big block with the bow on it)
1 bottle of Robins Nest dew drops
1 package of square metal embellishments
3 packs of mini brads in taupe, turquoise, and yellow
1 package of Nestabilities Long Classic Rectangles Large (valued at $25.00)
1 package of Nestabilities Long Classic Scalloped Rectangles Large (valued at $25.00)
1 Rubber stamp from Paper Pretties

How's that?  Would you like to be the lucky winner of this loot?  As I told you in my last post, I'm not going to make you jump through hoops to win it.  All you need do is leave me a comment on this post.  That's it, NO posting a pic on your blog, NO becoming a follower, NO clicking your heals three times, NO standing on your head and reciting poetry.  LOL  Although, I would love to see a pic of that!  LOL  There will also be no long wait either.  You will have until MIDNIGHT (EST) Sunday, June 20th to get your comment posted to be eligible for the drawing.  A winner will be randomly selected by Random.Org, and I will post the name of the winner on next Wednesday Evening's post.  Good luck to all of you!  I wanted to do this to say thank you for all the wonderful support that you all have given to me over the past two years.

Don't forget the pic of the week below!  I hope you are all feeling good and doing well.  I'll be seeing you on your blogs this week!

Love you guys!


Curt


"God, please help me be the person that my dogs think I am."

HAPPY BLOGAVERSARY TO ME!!!!!

Hey All! I am so excited to welcome you all to my 1 YEAR BLOGAVERSARY! This is going to be a big post, because there is so much I want to say, show, and share. Not to mention the FABULOUS BLOG CANDY up for grabs! Here it is:





For those of you who didn't get my "photo clue", the photo is the top of one of the Copic markers. This has a retail value of over $150.00! Some of you who follow me regularly will probably guess that these are the markers I won over at Gina K Designs blog. I was so lucky to win these, but honestly, I just can't get the hang of them. I am so comfortable with my cheap colored pencils and OMS, that these have just sat in my drawer unused. I thought that this was just a shame and a waste, and I decided I wanted someone to have them that would really use them. I'm also throwing in a couple of surprises in the box as well so good luck to each of you!

YOU NEED TO READ THIS!

I would really appreciate it if you would read the entire post. I'm highlighting some special people, and expressing my appreciation to all of you who visit me on a regular basis. You are the reason for this blog, and I want you to know that!

The first thing I want to do is to highlight 3 people who I want to thank for their first encouraging posts on my blog when I started a year ago.

Julie Koerber (Out To Impress)

Julie was the very first person to post a comment on my very first post. I still can remember reading that first post and being so excited that she thought enough of my post and my cards to leave a comment! She was so kind, complimentary, and encouraging. I can't thank her enough. I also couldn't believe (when I went to visit her post for the first time) that someone as talented as Julie would even bother with my pitiful little cards, but she did. Click on her name above to see her blog, and then hop over to her SplitCoast Gallery. Some of her cards will literally take your breath away!

Janine Orchard (2bKrafty)

Janine has been a true blogging buddy, posting a comment on almost every one of my posts. Her work is not only gorgeous, but she is so amazingly generous because a lot of the things she posts are things that she is giving people. I have always loved her style, and her coloring is incredible. She is such an inspiration to me. Please click on her name above and check out her work. She is wonderful!

Pat Adam (The Rubber Maid)

Pat is Julie Koerber's Mom and she is certainly one special lady! Pat creates such wonderful cards, but the best thing I love about visiting Pat's blog is her hilarious sense of humor. Reading her posts makes me laugh out loud. Pat has a "no holds barred" approach to her blog and I would imagine to life as well. She is a joy to me. I invite you to click on her name above and check her out.

I have highlighted these 3 because they were the first 3 to leave comments on my blog. They were the ones who made me want to keep creating and to keep blogging. I also went to all of the blogs they had listed on their blogs and that's how I found some of you. And then from yours on to an infinity of talented folks.

Here are some statistics that really blow my mind:

1. My first post. 1 comment - My posts now average between 35 to near 70 comments

2. From 0 followers to almost 50 followers and growing!

3 I receive comments from Canada, Australia, England, Spain, Italy, Romania, South Africa, and many other countries. So amazing to me.

4. Blog hits as of this post is over 20, 800. Awesome!

5. In the year I posted a total of only 70 (with this post).

This has been such a wonderful experience for me and it is certainly been because of all of you. I can not thank those of you enough for leaving me consistently uplifting, smile-generating comments, post after post. You have been so inspiring with your comments and your creativity, and I like to think I consider you friends. I love spending time on your blogs, and I try to visit you all at least once a week. It amazes me that I can feel such a connection to people I have never met. You are truly special to me and I cherish each and every one of you.

OK, enough of the "Oscarish" speech. I just want you all to know that you make my life more meaningful.

Now I have a couple of projects to share and a card. Then I will get on to the deets of how to enter for the blog candy. I made these for my Mom's and Jay's Mom's Easter baskets. You might be surprised what I used as a template for these:







The stamp is a House Mouse stamp (gee, what a surprise, huh?) I love how this little guy is winking and holding those jelly beans. I stamped him in Archival Jet Black ink, and colored the image with colored pencils and OMS. The tulips around the box are a patterned paper from The Paper Studio, and the little picket fence was made with the Martha Stewart punch. I used my Nesties for the scalloped oval. Here is what I used as the template for the boxes:



Funny, huh? Every time I would buy these, I would think "this is such a great size for something." So I "undid" the box and taped it to card stock, traced around it, and cut it out. I had to alter it a little bit because the front flap is designed to be on the outside, and I wanted it to tuck in the box. The neat thing about this box is that you can open it by pressing each side of the box at the same time. It pops open like magic.

The next project is my famous candy bar sleeve with the faux belly band.





I don't know who the stamp is by or the paper either. I stamped and colored it with colored pencils and OMS and mounted it to the band with foam squares. Here is a pic of it unassembled:



My last thing to show you is my card. Forgive me for another HM stamp, but as you know, I got a new bunch of them and I just have to use them:





I loved this image the minute I saw it, and thought of so many sentiments that could go with it. I use two different CB folders for the embossing and of course colored pencils and OMS.

So, there you have it. Here's what you need to do to to enter the contest for the blog candy. Simply leave a comment here on my blog. For those of you who have been my long standing followers, I will enter your name twice. To find out if you are in that group, just look to see if your blog is listed on the side of my blog, or if you were signed up as a follower of mine as of yesterday. But remember, EVERYONE must leave a comment in order to have at least one entry. Every one else who leaves a comment will be entered once. I will use Random.Org to draw the winner. Since my Blogaversary is April 14Th, the person who comes out in spot 14 on the list will be the winner! Good luck everyone! You have until Midnight (EST) on April 20TH to enter. I will post the winner on April 21ST.

Well, thanks for sharing my 1 year Blogaversary! I appreciate you all so much and thank you again for being my very best "blogging Buddies"! I'll be seeing you on your blogs!

Best,


Curt O'Brien

"God help me be the person that my dogs think I am."

BLOG CANDY & NEW CARDS!!!

Hey All! Well, as promised in my last post, I am celebrating my 10,000 blog hits (way over now)! I put together something a little different than the usual blog candy. This prize is more for enjoying while one stamps instead of using it to stamp. Intriguing? OK, first you have to look at my cards! LOL That's surely what you came here to do, right? The blog candy thing was only secondary, right? Hmmmmmmm? LOL So here are my new cards. . .


This one is for my old director where I used to work. She is leaving the company, and I wanted to give her a card to wish her luck on her new job. Here it is. . .



I love this new stamp that I just got form Impress Rubber Stamps. They have so many cool things, and their prices are very reasonable. The stamp is by Memory Box. It is a wooden stamp, and the main stamp is where you would think it should be, but the secondary stamp the little thing that floats away is stuck to the side of the stamp, so they are both actually one stamp. Very cool. I stamped this with Staz-on Timber Brown ink on cs by Scrapworks called Light Coffee. The black is Bazzill cs. Here is what is amazing to me. I stamped the main image in Versamark embossing ink on the cs as a background image and just heated it with my heat gun to get this effect. Usually embossing clear ink gives a much lighter "watermark" effect, but for some reason it looks like a brown ink! I loved how it turned out. I also stamped the little floaty thingy multiple times on the strip for a background. I used my glitter Gelly Roll pen to put the silver glimmer on each. I then used my round and scalloped Nesties to cut one of the floating thingys out as well as the dandelion and adhered them with foam dimensionals. The tag thing with the sentiment (which was computer generated) is from a stamp set that I have no idea who made. I stamped it on the same card stock, cut it out, used my slot tool, then added black grosgrain ribbon. Here is another shot:



I also made her a second card. When she sent me the email that told me she had gotten another job, she also informed me that she got a new puppy and attached a picture. The picture was not very good (the pup's eyes were all glowing yellow orbs, and it was a little fuzzy) so I doctored it up in Photoshop and printed it out.








I used one of those photo cards that you buy in packs to insert the picture, then embellished it to make it more "puppy appropriate". I added ribbon and stamped the bones and paw prints on the card. Is this puppy adorable or what? It is a Cavapoo and her name is Sam.

OK now for the blog candy prize. I wanted something really grand for my 10,000 hits prize so to start it off, this card goes to the winner along with the prize. The card actually sets what the theme of the prize is. Here is the card you will get with the prize. . .



The main image and sentiment is from the Flourishes set called "Coffee With Friends". I wanted to get a wintry feel for the card, so I stamped the coffee cup image directly onto the snowflake paper. It is by K & Company. I cut the coffee cup out using a combination of scissors and an Exacto knife (for the handle). I mounted it with foam dimentionals on plain white cs that I sponged with Colorbox Aqua Blue ink. I used my silver sparkle Gelly Roll pen to get the shimmery effect on the steam. I then mounted that onto more K & Company paper which is the other side of the snowflake paper. I then mounted that onto black cs and shimmery blue cs by the Paper Company. Did the same thing for the sentiment, mounted it on dimentionals, added the bling at the bottom, and done. It is yours along with this prize. . .



I put together what I think is a really nice wintry "pamper me" gift box full of stuff. Here is another shot of everything out of the box:



Here is the list of items:

1 package of Southern Comfort flavored coffee
1 package of Ghiradelli Chocolate Caramel coffee
1 package of Land O Lakes Cocoa Classics Caramel Chocolate flavor hot cocoa
1 package of Land O Lakes Cocoa Classics Hazelnut Chocolate flavor hot cocoa
1 Gingerbread Man candy tin filled with Hershey's Holiday Hugs candy
1 scented candle in a frosted glass jar with top in a shimmery drawstring bag
1 two-pack of holiday self stick note pads
1 holiday magnetic list note pad
1 long spiral bound holiday note pad with polar bear picture on front
1 tin of Starbucks After Coffee chewing gum cinnamon flavor
1 tin of Starbucks After Coffee mints vanilla flavor
1 tin of Starbucks After Coffee mints spearmint flavor
1 ceramic snowman coffee mug with ceramic lid
1 gorgeous snowman motif holiday gift box

How about that???? No stamping stuff, just stuff to enjoy while you are stamping! Picture it now . . . sitting at your crafting table, a scented candle burning, the smell of caramel hot cocoa wafting up from your adorable snowman mug. As you watch the snow falling softly just outside your window, you unwrap a chocolate hug. . .LOL I should write commercials!

Anyway, to win this gift box full of goodies, you need to leave a comment here on this post and you will get one entry. If you are one of my regular comment posters (those of you who consistently visit me, post after post and leave such wonderful comments) you will automatically get a second entry as a thank you for being such a loyal commenter. You will have until Sunday, November 23rd at 6:00 PM EST to leave your comment in order to be entered. I will put every one's name on a list (my loyal posters twice) and will run it on Random.Org. The person who comes out #1 on the list will be the winner. Good luck everyone!

On a final sad note, my blogging buddy Glee at Gleefully Done, is very ill. Her husband posted for her and has let us know she is on a respirator in the hospital. She has pneumonia. She was just healing from a recent eye surgery, and now this. Please if you would go visit her blog and leave her a comment of best wishes. Her husband has said he will make sure that if you leave a comment on her blog he will make sure to get it to her in the hospital. At the very least, please keep her and him in your thoughts and prayers. She is a very sweet lady who needs our support right now!

Thanks again for reading this very long post (but hey, what's new huh?). Also don't forget to take a look at the pic of the week below. I'll see you on your blogs!

Best,

Curt O'Brien

"God help me be the person my dogs think I am."