Inchies: A Drunken Stampers Challenge

This card is for the week's Drunken Stamper's challenge: Inchies.

Looking at Spike and Peg's work I think I might have missed the point, but I had fun anyway!

Let's start with the "features." The woman reading silhouette is from Dover Publications: If you're a Cricuter and use Sure Cuts A Lot you absolutely must pick up at least a few of the Dover clip art books. They've been invaluable to me for all sorts of random shapes. Dover's shapes can be imported directly from the disc that comes with the books or "reworked" in several applications before SCAL import.

Also, keep Dover in mind if all you're looking for are some really cool paper dolls for the little people in your life, stickers or fillers for stockings and birthday gift bags. Honest to Jebus. I love Dover. Sign up for the Dover e-mail newsletter -- they sent a weekly e-mail with special offers and printables that can be used for coloring pages, etc.

Oh, I don't own a color printer so I forget a lot, but Dover also produces some super books with copyright-free vintage labels and such (I know, I know I'm a gadget girl and only own a black and white laser jet printer -- but what the hell, it was $10 at the Thrift Depot in Sparks).

Alright ... back to the point ... card features ... after the main cut I added a background from a random card stock pack I found on clearance several years ago and a card stock frame with heat-embossed texture. The embossed design is actually a Halloween fence with cobwebs and a crow that I stamped at odd angles to create a grunge look (what do you think, Linda?).

The "Inchies" are stamped with the initials of my best friend and amazing woman, Aubry, to whom I will send this card despite the surprise being ruined as soon as I click "publish post."

These vintage newsprint letter stamps are foam-backed so I can press and "roll" against the page to ensure some edging is visible (that's the one thing I dislike about the new acrylic-mount stamps).

Then I used more of that fabulous heat embossing along with foam pop-ups beneath to match the frame that also is raised from the cover.

The Inchies are backed by flocked card stock from a Die Cuts With a View cover -- no kidding. I adore DCWV stacks with glitter and foil and flocked pages. And the covers, with "examples" on the front that also are glittered, foiled and flocked drive me nuts: Do people actually NOT use the covers?

Finally, the Inchies backers are set with pop ups and I'm left with a design technique that makes me want to do more, more, more.

Because if three Inchies have finally reinspired my non pink and pastel world ... what the hell might TWELVE do?

Lace and glitter

Yet again I'm making it in under the wire for a Drunken Stampers deadline.

Today's project mixed a bit of their challenge -- lace and glitter -- with a project I needed to finish this week: A box to hold a care package for a friend who has surgery on Thursday.

Don't worry, it's unlikely she'll have any complications during surgery: I'm sure about this as she's also my boss so I'd have to kick her ass if she were out more than the scheduled week.

This box is cool with a good interior space yet still small enough to be solid even built from card stock.

Tomorrow I'll post more about where I found this SVG file box. UPDATE: Alright, honestly, I am as usual moving on to other things, but dropped in to add this link because the Cricut-cut box is not my design and the creator deserves credit: The Project Girl.

Have a fantastic weekend all!

Be The Buddha

Once in awhile I have trouble remembering to be calm and not flip out.

There've been a few years now in which I could have learned this -- less than 60, but more than 20 (I figure it's OK if, before I turned six, I only learned useful things like how to use Crayons to create fake wallpaper).

While discussing my temper with my mom I found out that she gave me my teeny, tiny tantrum-throwing talent. This came as a surprise to me: I don't remember her turning red and screaming at my sister or me, but I remember knowing that I had one chance to reach adulthood and not pissing off my parents was a reliable route.

So, deep down I probably knew my mom possessed the ability to cross the line from silly and fun to dragon lady (alright, maybe I remember one or two "fits"). By the way, this is something I think a lot of today's kids could use a dose of as well, but that's an entirely different subject.

Anyway, my point here is that I have a sometimes unpredictable temper and it's not my fault. However, to ensure I keep my own little Gila Monster in check I created a personal mantra: Be The Buddha.

Don't develop an individual philosophy based on this believing it is true to Buddhism, this is MY version.

Buddha is traditionally a happy kind of guy. Chubby, too, so you know he can get his grub on. He's always looking to help people out and is grateful for the little things. He always appears content to be Buddha.

Did I mention he's a happy and content kind of guy? Go to your favorite search engine and find a picture of Buddha. He's happy, right? He's content, correct?

I could have squished this entire post into two paragraphs:

This handmade sign is designed to remind me of my mantra: Be The Buddha. The mantra leads to the image of a happy, open, go-lucky guy. And the image leads to no more tantrum.

Whew. Another overreaction stopped in its tracks ...