An Explanation of Yesterday's Card

If you're in the dark about yesterday's card, you're not alone. Apparently, there are plenty of people who don't watch the hit show called The Big Bang Theory...the funniest show about geeks EVER.

Yes, I am a geek.

The Big Bang Theory is a sitcom centered on four scientists (Sheldon, Leonard, Howard, and Raj), each with his own unique set of issues, and the women in their lives (Amy, Penny, Bernadette, and whomever Raj is dating). My favorite thing about the show is how these mostly messed-up human beings form a group and love and support each other despite (and sometimes because of) their quirks and oddities.

Plus, it's geeky and funny and it has Sheldon.

Yesterday's card was inspired by a Halloween costume from the show's first season. The costume, worn by lead character Dr. Sheldon Cooper, is a visual depiction of the Doppler Effect. Sheldon is a theoretical physicist, and the following video shows outtakes from the show relating to the costume.

The Doppler Effect

And now you know.

nnnNNEEEYyowwwwww

I cannot speak. PleeEEEEEasssse tell me you get this.

If you don't, you're seriously watching the wrong television shows.

PS My husband and 14-year-old son got it right away, and both claim it's the best card I've ever made.

Supplies
stamps: Papertrey Ombre Builders
ink: Memento Deluxe Black, which already needs to be re-inked...buy the reinker when you buy the pad, people!
paper: Papertrey White
accessories: circle punch, dimensionals

Gettin' Punchy, Squared with Pop Culture and Renaissance References

More punches.

More, more, more. How do you like it? How do you like it? More, more, more....

Wow. That is just...sad.

But the card isn't sad at all.

Nope. It's merry.

I have a LOT of square and circle punches...including scalloped squares and circles. They take up a lot of space. But unlike my friend Leslie who got rid of her punches (and has a serious addiction to collection of dies), I'm keeping them. For me, they're worth the space.

Today's card offered a chance to use three square punches and some of the baker's twine that I had to have, but now I know not how I shall use it.

The end of that sentence sounds like Shakespeare.

To be, or not to be...that is a really lousy question. To stamp, or not to stamp...that's a no brainer.

May your Labor Day weekend be inky. And safe. And free of Mommy ADD.

Supplies
stamps: Hero Arts
ink: SU real red
paper: Papertrey white and kraft
accessories: baker's twine (Papertrey), dimensionals, square punches

Gettin' Punchy Under the Sea

Yes, we're still "Gettin' Punchy." I have too many punches.

Bwaaahaaaahaaa! "Too many punches"?

Not. Possible.

The number of punches a person needs may be determined using the following equation: x + 1 = y, where x is the number you have, and y is the number you need. Obviously, you can never actually get to "too many punches." The math just won't work.

I have a number of Martha Stewart ocean-themed punches, so I decided to make an over-the-top (for me) card using a couple of them, plus a Fiskar's ocean wave border punch and some random foliage punches to play the role of seaweed.

See what I did here? The large popped panel uses the wave border punch, and the seaweed hangs off the right edge while a little more sneaks a peek from under the popped panel. One fish, one sea horse, and the seaweed fronds on the bottom right are popped up as well, although the seaweed is merely curled up for dimensional effect rather than popped with dimensional tape.

This was a fun card to make in all white, but photographing it was tough. In real life, the white-on-white effect is gloriously bright and clean.

The sentiment might seem a bit odd for a sea-themed card, but I made this for my 70-ish aunt who broke her back about a month ago. She's healing very slowly and has many more months in a back brace before she will be able to resume her normal, very active and busy life. She loves the beach.

Supplies
stamps: Papertrey Faux Ribbon
ink: Hero Arts pool
paper: Papertrey white
accessories: assorted punches, dimensionals

Gettin' Punchy with Coloring, and a Few Questions

I decided to color using Copics, Bics, and Sharpies.

Why do I feel the need to announce this? Well, perhaps it's because it almost never happens.

I need to order more Gina K card stock...it's hard to believe I've used an entire pack of it! Guess I color more often than I think. Anyway, for one-layer cards, it's best to use Gina K's 120# Deluxe White card stock. It's coated and the markers will not bleed through.

The banner stamp is from Hero Arts Leaves Autumn clear set. To make the punched leaves, I colored on a scrap of card stock and punched out of the scribbles. Doing that, rather than punching leaves out of colored card stock, makes the whole card feel more unified and cohesive.

And now on another note....

Have you ever felt uneasy in your crafting? That's how I've felt lately. Every time I sit down to stamp, I feel...a lack of focus? ...overwhelmed? ...bored? ...restless? Honestly, it's hard to find a label for how I feel.

This has happened to me before, and not just in crafting. I'm at a crossroad, a fork in the road, due for a course correction. This particular course correction has probably been prompted by Operation Write Home's announcement that they need fewer cards, that the military draw-down is reducing demand.

I'm thrilled our troops are coming home. I'm thrilled for them and their families. Sandy has asked that we focus on quality, not mere quantity, with the cards we send to OWH.

Yes, ma'am. Will do.

But with CAS cards like mine, some of my best work takes way less time than my worst! Where, then, will all the creative energy flowing compulsively through me go?

That is the question.

What else can I do? I've got the itch to finish writing that book I keep talking about and making snail's pace on. THAT will be a good focus for the new school year, don't you think? I suspect the book might result in a little less posting of cards here, so don't be alarmed if I drop off on posting a bit.

Also, I pulled out my Christmas craft notebooks last weekend and began strategizing what--if anything--I will make for the holidays. The Stephen Ministry ornament is already planned...just need to get more supplies. (If you want to learn more about this, last year's ornament is on THIS POST.) I plan on setting up my artificial tree in the basement again and decorating it with paper ornaments. I'm also planning on making this year's Christmas even more minimalist than last year. 

More minimalist? An oxymoron?

You be the judge.

Anyway, I'm curious to know if any of you A) get a crafty restlessness and what you do about it, and B) have already started planning Christmas crafts? If so, what?

What say ye?

Supplies
stamps: Hero Arts
ink: Memento cocoa
paper: Gina K
accessories: Bic and Sharpie markers, leaf punch

Gettin' Punchy with Cloudy Chagrin

I bought two Fiskar's cloud punches about a year or so ago, and I don't think I've used them on a card yet. When I pulled them out to play this time, I remembered why.

First, I wanted to make a white-on-white card, but couldn't make it work.

Second, I used a piece of light blue card stock and tried all sorts of white paper (velvet, vellum, regular card stock, rice paper, etc) to make something interesting, and all results were...unsatisfactory.

Sigh.

In frustration, I pulled out a light blue Copic and scribbled a sky, plopped two clouds on it, added a sentiment and a little bling, and thought, "Well, it's not bad. Not great, either, but not bad."

Some days, I am willing to be happy with a "good enough for government work" sort of accomplishment. How about you?

BTW, anyone want to buy these two cloud punches? It think I'm done with them!

Supplies
stamps: Clearly Besotted, A Little Sentimental
ink: Memento
paper: Papertrey white
accessories: Fiskar cloud punches, rhinestones, copic marker

Gettin' Punchy: How to Make the Easy Hard

Yesterday, I wrote that I would post a more difficult negative-space card. It is more difficult than yesterday's card, but not for reasons you might expect.

Basically, it's the exact same idea, but getting the placement of the background correct was made very difficult by the closeness of the negative space to the edge of the card stock.

Take a look. 

The leaf punch doesn't allow a lot of space between the edge of the negative space and the edge of the paper. Because of that, I had difficulty placing the stamp. Instead of risking getting it in the wrong place (and because I'm WAY TOO LAZY to use a stamp positioner!!), I cut out the stamped area and glued it down where it needed to be.

A stamp positioner and pencil guides would have made this a piece of cake, though. Lazy people spend too much time figuring out work-arounds.

*sigh*

Anywho, notice that the spectrum moves side to side rather than top to bottom as with yesterday's Christmas tree. My design intention with this was to unify the leaf and the sentiment with that fabby olive green. The orange between is the icing on the cake.

The pumpkin- and cinnamon-flavored icing. Oh, yeah.

I love fall. A few of our leaves are starting to turn already, but it's hot and humid as all-get-out outside. Blech. Looking forward to cool, crisp days and clear blue skies.

Supplies
stamps: Hero Arts
ink: Kaleidacolor
paper: Papertrey white
accessories: dimensionals, leaf punch