I Can See Clearly Now - Opus Gluei Challenge # 57

Opus Gluei wants you to use clear sheets this week.

Here are a few of the things I came up with:

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This is my first project. I didn't post it on the Opus Gluei site, because I haven't figured out what I want to do with the closure. And I didn't want to post an incomplete project.

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I don't know what possessed me to make a Halloween Candy Box.

But this is what came to my mind.

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I knew that the mice would look cool.

And forgive me for saying, THEY DO!

It's a Martha Stewart border punch.

So is the dripping goo at the top.

Unfortunately, I can't remember who makes the skull and cross bones stamp.

Or the cool spider paper on the top. Sorry.

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And now to switch gears to something SOOOO not creepy...

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I knew I would make a card. I need a girlie, blingy card, so here it is.
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And I knew I wanted to make something with one of my Spanish Stampin' Up sets.

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Then this little owl stamp just spoke to me.

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CARD: I used a premade journal spot, turned it on edge. Then I put a border of adhesive (I love my ATG gun). And scrunched ribbon along the edge AND stuck it to the center of the card front. I used a Cocoa Daisy stamp, fussy cut around it and glittered the girl. YUM. I applied the bling sticker before I popped up the Cameo. Then stuck on the pretty pink flowers. The inside is corner stamped for a bit more interest.

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CANDY BOX: I scanned the tutorial on SplitCoastStampers. I remembered that the bottom and top were made using 3 inch squares and that the column was scored using 1 & 15/16 inch increments. From there I just winged it. (I'll go back to see if there is something I could have done easier. Bit too late for this one, but I WILL be making these again.) I taped everything together and then decided that I wanted th ribbon to be on the inside of the bottom, but on the outside of the sides, so I pushed the sided of the box away from the adhesive and shoved the ribbon through the bottom. It wasn't so elegant, but very successful. I like this little box. Have I mentioned that???

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INCHIE: Was an afterthought. Honestly. For some reason (???) I had this little stamp just hanging out. Then I had this little scrap of acetate and put the two together. I stamped with Staz-On, then colored, and finally punched the inchie out. He's a cutie pie.

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Thanks for looking.

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I would love to see what you can come up with using Clear sheets.

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OPERATION WRITE HOME Blog Hop

Welcome to this stop on the

BLOG HOP

(If you didn't get here from Karen's blog, go here to start at the beginning. I'm sure you don't want to miss out on any of the eye candy.)

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Just look at the joy on this HERO's face.

Is that not the coolest thing!!

How would you like to be responsible for this type of happiness?
You don't have to fly overseas to make this happen.


Just make a few extra cards to send overseas for our HERO's to send to their friends and family.


It can't be any easier than that.


If you are reading this blog, odds are you like to craft. So making these cards would be sorta selfish.

This kind of selfishness is A-OK.


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I am a NAVY brat. My dad retired from the NAVY before I got out of high school. But not before we moved around a bit. I cherish the experiences I had because of his commitment to the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. He sacrificed a lot to go out there and do the things he did.

Now my nephew is in the COAST GUARD. I am proud of him.


His brother will go into the MARINES in October. I am proud of him.
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I made these cards FOR the HERO's who are out there defending freedom.


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I am able to feel safe in my home because of the bravery of these wonderful AMERICANS.



It doesn't seem like enough to send a little card to thank them for their hard work and sacrifice, but I am going to send them because they need to know that their efforts are appreciated.
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I am sending these thank you cards with a note inside each one to a HERO that I haven't met.



I am sending them along with 100 blank cards that I made and packaged up.







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OPERATION WRITE HOME mission:

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To support our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourge them.
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There are deadlines for sending cards for the various Holidays throughout the year. All the guidelines are listed on their website. You can visit the blog here.
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To help celebrate MEMORIAL DAY,
I am offering up a little collection of RED, WHITE and BLUE goodies to give away.
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Ribbons, papers, and some doo-dads.
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Just leave me a comment and you'll be entered into the drawing.

Winning name will be Announced on Tuesday, June 1.

NOW off to the next stop on the HOP:


LESLIE

Have fun and thank a Service Member today.

Getting in the mood...

Getting ready for the OPERATION WRITE HOME Blog Hop this weekend.

It starts tomorrow morning and goes on all weekend.

I felt pretty inspired by the whole thing, so I made this mini album for my sister. Her son is in the Coast Guard.

I was cleaning out some paper in my scrap room and ran across this Little Yellow Bicycle album that I have had for a couple of years. The colors are perfect for a mini Coastie album. Plus I have this stamp set from Unity Stamps that has all the logos for all the branches of the armed forces. I know, how cool is that.

Here are pictures of the album as it unfolds.

I love the official portrait of him. I scanned it and printed one to fit this space.

These are my daughters with him at his graduation from boot camp.

And a picture of him at my sisters house.

He played the trumpet in the band at bootcamp. They got to march in a parade in Cape May.
Him and some buddies

Here he is in a posed picture with the trumpet.
And a picture of him and one of his good buddies.

I told you it was cool.

Lucky thing I am a pack rat.

Hope you are primed and ready for some card loving, blog hopping tomorrow.

See you there, well, here.

Blurfing Finds

Hi, my name is Jana and I am addicted to blurfing.

I love to blurf. My favorite thing to do is to download freebies. It's just such a rush to get something for nothing.
I also love to visit certain websites. One of them is Ali Edwards site. She has a very clean and simple style that I find refreshing. She get her projects DONE. Something I admire, and strive to. (Never quite get there, but I can dream.)
Anyway, one of her sponsors, 300dpi.com, is offering a freebie downloadable kit to Ali's blog readers.

They also have some other pretty cool freebies. And several very cool things available for purchase. Yikes!!!

Well, what are you waiting for? Go to Ali's blog, read about the freebie and then go get it. Don't wait too long. The offer is only good to June 30th. And we all know how time flies.

See you later...

Wordless Wednesday

The nutritional experts say to eat a well balanced,

colorful variety of foods.

So, I am.

(Lunches were picked by their colorful packaging. Which will be repurposed. Someday.)

(You weren't really expecting WORDLESS, were you???)

Up Till Now.

This wonderful background started out as a plain white piece of cardstock.

(I am biased, and not a lick modest about this piece.)

It is one of the first backgrounds I have made. And I LOVE it.

Feel free to use it. If you do, let me know. I would love to see what you do with it.

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And on to the latest journal entry for HEART THE ART.
As you know, I have been using an odd shaped book for this challenge.

But with the topic this week, and this creation of mine, I have strayed.

Heart the ART # 21 - UP TILL NOW.

(digi journal page: background scanned art by Jana D (that's me), fonts are Bleeding Cowboys (dafont) and Another Hand Font (source unknown, but probably dafont)

Menu Monday

This week's menu is brought to us by my oldest daughter, Megan. She came up with it over brunch this morning. She even made the shopping list. She looked up recipes. And checked the cupboards for the ingredients. She did a great job. And even better is that she will help cook, if not cook herself. Love this part.

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Monday - Burritos and sopa

Tuesday - Dogs and brats

Wednesday - Shepards Pie - And here is her recipe in a 4x6 format.

Thursday - Meatball Patty Melts

Friday - Pizza

Saturday - Dinner Out

Sunday - Girl Scout Stew

Now tell me what plans you have for your stove this week...

Coming soon - Operation Write Home Blog Hop

I signed up to be a part of the MEMORIAL DAY BLOGHOP.

Come back when it starts for a weekend full of beautiful cards and many giveaways.

Whimsey Haven

I used this sketch:

To make this card:


I usually don't post the same card two times. But I thought it would be too confusing to include this challenge in the Opus Gluei post. I have been making cards to send to OPERATION WRITE HOME. And this sketch seemed perfect for this little froggy.

If you are interested in possibly winning these markers go here for the details.

Thanks for looking.

Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall, all you have to do is draw...

This week's challenge at Opus Gluei is to be inspired by the seasons. Luckily, I have a set of stamps from Stampin' Up entitled "A Flower for all Seasons", or something like that. But that isn't my inspiration for this challenge, but rather a tool to use my inspiration.

Here are the cards I made. One for each season.

Can you guess the inspiration?

(There is a hint in the pictures of each card.)

Winter

SPRING




SUMMER

FALL

Have you guessed it yet?

It's the markers.

I have duplicates of these markers. So I want to give the extras away.

Go over to Opus Gluei to see the details about the drawing.

See you over there...

Earthling Gets Make-Over. News at 11.

I like it much better now.

8 of these are going to Operation Write Home.

Along with about 100 other cards me and my daughters have made.

Menu Monday - (The real story.)

Usually I am pretty good about cooking 4-5 nights of the week.

This last week was so CRAZY that here is what really happened...

SUNDAY

The week started out pretty good.

MONDAY

Danny had a late meeting.

Chinese is the standard fare on those nights.

Still not so bad.

TUESDAY

Day spent carting oldest kid with knee pain to docs.

Meal could have been better.

WEDNESDAY

Had to feed them all by 5:20.

This was the best I could come up with.

THURSDAY

Busy schedule. Route took me right past here.

FRIDAY

Tradition. Just ask Melissa.

SATURDAY

Now we're getting back on track.

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Okay, so maybe it wasn't THAT bad.

But still, next week WILL be better.

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I promise.

Pinky swear.

(Images are all via Google and Flickr)

Happy Friday, Earthlings!

It's cute. But needs more.

WHAT?

Help!!!


HAPPY FRIDAY

Friday Fill-Ins # 177

And...here we go!

1. Glueing things together never fails to make me smile.

2. I'm looking forward to SUMMER.

3. A quiet, emtpy office is what I'm listening to right now.

4. Potato salad must have fairy dust in it! (It's one of my weaknesses.)

5. That Chicken Caesar wrap I had for lunch was the best think I ate today.

6. Today was looking pretty bleak until I had lunch, now I am all better and today isn't looking so bad. Plus it's getting closer and closer to quittin' time.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to QUITTING TIME, tomorrow my plans include sniffing some glue and a smokin' hot date and Sunday, I want to paint something.

Bollywood Arch

I recently saw Slumdog Millionaire. It was a hard movie to watch. It was good. But it dealt with issues that most American's will NEVER have to deal with. Prejudice, poverty, human indifference at magnitudes we have never even dared to imagine. Lives are disposable in this movie. But that is how it is in a bunch of countries out there. I am glad that I watched it with my 15 year old daughter. She picked up on a lot that I could have told her, but I am an adult and not to be believed. LOL.

Anyway, I had to stay "home" today. I say stayed home, when I really mean that I was not allowed to go to work for having to run around trying to see what was the matter with above mentioned daughters left knee. You know, I had to get them all off to school. Yup. I made her go to school this morning because of testing. I picked her up right after the testing and fed her before I carted her to the doctors office, where I was informed that she isn't moving enough. Naturally I feel like a bad mom, but that's a whole other story. Anyway, where was I, oh yeah, as part of staying home I DID get to surf a bit. And in my travels, I ran across a couple of blogs where the authors posted a Bollywood Arch as part of the Gothic Arches Challenge going on right now.

So, I figured I would give it a digi try. Knowing that I wouldn't really have any place for such a piece in the house, I decided upon digi.

If you are still with me at this point. Kudos to you. Heck, I near about just fell asleep myself.

Here is my interpretation of a Bollywood Arch:

Images were all found via Google and Flickr

Thanks for looking.

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise - Opus Gluei # 55

The challenge at OPUS GLUEI this week is

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HEALTHY, WEALTHY and WISE.

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You know how the quote goes:

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Early to bed, early to rise,

Makes a man

HEALTHY, WEALTHY and WISE.

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Well, I DON'T get to bed early.

I DO rise early on work days.

And I am NOT a man.

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So I decided to take each word by itself. Mostly because I couldn't think of ONE project to encompass all three words. Yup, some weeks are like that for me. And this was one of them. Anyway, here they are:

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HEALTHY for me includes mental health.

And that involves laughing and playing:

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(Cardstock and ribbon is Stampin' Up, paper is Imaginisque, Stamp is HERO ART courtesy of Jingle - Thanks Jingle, Border punch is Fiskars)

I used ZIG markers on the stamp.

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WEALTHY is not necessarily measured in money for me.

I feel so blessed to have a wealth of information, real and imaginary, because of reading. And my love of reading came from my mother. So I made her a bookmark:

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(Cardstock is white and unknown, Flores Suaves and Well Scripted stamp sets - Stampin' Up, Ribbon -Making memories)

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WISE came to me only because I have this stamp set. I honestly didn't have anything in mind. I was looking through my stamp sets, say this and well, here it is:

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(White cardstock is unknown, papers are printed from Gina's "Of the Water" digi set, stamps are Stampin' Up, ribbon is from my stash, Zig Markers on the bird/bamboo stamp, Memento Ink in Tuxedo Black on the quote)
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There might just be a secret giveaway this week to one (or more) of the Opus Gluei players.
I can't say for sure, cuz that wouldn't be fun.

But, (wink, wink) you might want to play...

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Just sayin'.

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MOJO Friday (well it started yesterday...)

I think my MOJO is back.

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It took a little vacation,

but I think it came home last night

when I started this VERY late B-day card.

HAPPY FRIDAY !!!

Friday Fill-Ins # 176

And here we go...

1. I just had to sleep in because I was up late chatting on Facebook with my BF from elementary school.

2. It just is.

3. The 3rd sentence on the 7th page of the book I'm reading: A dead man walking.

4. Seeing the dog hog the bed tickles my fancy.

5. I was walking into the other room for something, but now can't remember what it was I was after.

6. My hubby makes me laugh!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Survivor and Pizza (even though DH and I watched it live last night, shhhh don't tell the girls) , tomorrow my plans include playing and maybe a movie and Sunday, I want to sleep in and see what else happens. Or not!

"Heart of Gold" Lauren Strikes in VA

What could be better than to have your REALLY busy week interrupted by a surprise envelope?

The FABBY Lauren sent me a package of LOVE. I was expecting a page or two of an Asian workbook.

I really shouldn't have been surprised, but I was. I mean if you have ever been to her blog, you know that girl just can't do simple. She has a wonderful tendency to embellish. It's a trademark of hers.

I mean, seriously, look at the love I found on the kitchen table one afternoon last week.

(minds out of the gutters ladies. this is a G rated blog)

Here'a a closer look at this fantabulous address label.

I could frame this and be inspired for months.

(note: the names and addresses have been changed to protect the innocent)

I feel like I have won the lottery. Who doesn't LOVE seeing their name. Made out of wonderfully colorful letters. ON an envelope made just for them. Just look at this treasure of printed booty.

(love that word - booty - makes me giggle)

There is Spanish, Korean, Japanese, French, Greek, Croatian and German. And some I can't identify. All are delish.

There are comics, dictionary definitions, encylopedia pages, newspaper, instructions and brochures.

It's AMAZING.

And just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I found the answer to the question I asked above,

- ENGINEERING manual pages from a far off land, written in a foreign language. That's what could be better.

OH MY GOSH. It's like she looked into my mind and figured out what would make me squeal with delight.
Being an Engineer, I ADORE these pages. I have no idea what language this is. It looks Greek to me. No. Really. It looks Greek. While I may not be sure of the written words, I KNOW the engineering part. (Insert geeky grin.)




I have used these tools. In English, of course. But I have used them.

It just doesn't get ANY COOLER than this.

Thank you LAUREN.